100 themes: Just Victims of Circumstance
by Hidden Firecracker
Summary: The Shitennou tell it like it is, from the Silver Millennium, to the Dark Kingdom, to Crystal Tokyo. It’s all about life, love, and other mysteries. Hey? What’s a man supposed to do?
1. Crime and Punishment

**Background: **One of my professors is into fan fiction. So, for extra credit, she offered us a 100 Brain Exercise Drabbles assignment. For it, our class can write about life, our experiences, or any fan fiction genera. We can complete up to 3 different lists of 100 Drabbles for an extra 10 points, each. Since I decided to take her up on the extra credit, I figured why not post it? I hope you enjoy! (One of the best win-win situations, ever!... not to mention an all-around kick ass assignment)

**Disclaimer: **The Sailor Moon Universe belongs to Naoko Takeuchi

**#28: Crime and Punishment:**

"The man has lost it. Completely and utterly gone bonkers," Jadeite muttered. He smiled to himself as Nephrite jogged past him, muttering curses under his breath. Nephrite must have been thinking the same thoughts.

"MOVE," barked Kunzite from his perch in the middle of the field. Nephrite and Jadeite exchanged glances and picked their feet up. Kunzite had them running 16 miles this charming Saturday morning. Certainly he could run 16 miles easy, no sweat! But for no good reason and on a Saturday before dawn?

They had just returned from yet another round of meetings between Earth and the Moon. He thought that the meetings went rather well, not to mention he was perpetually in the company of an enchanting raven-haired cherub. Unfortunately, Kunzite had caught Nephrite and Makoto in a rather compromising position. Add that to a small personal dispute between Minako and himself, and Kunzite had dropped a brick. _We are here on Prince Endymion's behalf- for business, _he had fumed. Jadeite thought that Kunzite figured the other Shitennou were just rubbing it in that they were not arguing with their Senshi and thus reaped the benefits of such peace.

Zoisite had come puffing up to where Nephrite and Jadeite ran together. "Just because he didn't get any this week, doesn't mean we should have to suffer," he scowled.

Nephrite looked amused. "If he wants to pick fights with the Princess of Venus, he doesn't need to take out his frustration on us," he agreed.

"More like sexual frustration," Jadeite grimaced. Sure, they had all had their fights with their Senshi, but unfortunately, they didn't have the power that Kunzite had. If they had a fight with their Senshi, it was their own business. When Kunzite and Minako had a fight, the Shitennou and Senshi knew first hand about it, and suffered the consequences for it.

"I said, move," Kunzite yelled again. "I bet you were nowhere near this slow when you were with your girlfriends." They looked up as Kunzite's rants were interrupted by Endymion's presence. They continued jogging as they watched the two engage in a heated discussion. Kunzite's back stiffened and they watched in shock as Kunzite jogged down to join them. They jogged for a couple of yards, looking expectantly at Kunzite. When he said nothing, Zoisite decided to break the silence.

"Well?" he asked.

Kunzite grunted. "He asked why you three were running and I explained your flippant manner in which you conducted yourselves during these crucial meetings. Endymion then asked if I had a fight with Minako," Kunzite said scowling. "When I tried to bring his attention back to the matter at hand, he just waved his hand and said that he had a small fight with Serenity." The others looked up skeptically.

"Did he really?" asked Nephrite.

"I don't believe it," said Zoisite.

"Well, he told me that Serenity and he had a small fight and then told me that I needed to run 16 miles for it," Kunzite grumbled.

"Ha! Good ole' boy is on our side," Jadeite hooted. Nephrite, Zoisite, and Jadeite continued running with just a tiny bit more bounce to their step.


	2. I'm Pregnant

**#86: I'm Pregnant:**

Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Kunzite lined up shoulder to shoulder, waiting for Beryl to speak. She had summoned them in lieu of her new discovery. Kunzite winced at the appearances of his fellow Shitennou, their faces etched into hard scowls and looks of well practiced disdain. The looks came much too natural to them.

Beryl continued staring at them, as if measuring them up and anticipating their reactions to her news. He shuddered as the stale air penetrated his skin. If he reached out far enough, he was sure that he would touch the very particles of evil. Beryl moved to speak and the four of them snapped to attention.

"You must destroy the Senshi," she enunciated, pausing at each word. This was nothing new to Kunzite. The Senshi had always gotten in the way of things. Naturally eliminating them would make life bearable.

"I don't think you realize the importance of destroying them," Beryl said staring them down. "The time has come for me to produce an heir, and I must guarantee that my child will not have the headaches given by the Senshi. That is for you four to deal with." So Beryl wanted to have offspring. Kunzite wondered who she intended to help produce such a child. The spawn of Beryl. As if reading his mind, Beryl continued.

"I won't need one of you four to be the father, if that is why you think I called you here," she said airily. "I already carry the child in my womb and Endymion is its father." Kunzite nearly choked. This had to be a joke. Clearly his counterparts did not think so. Jadeite was fawning over here, kissing her feet. Nephrite held her hand as he helped her sit easy in her chair. Zoisite was fluffing pillows to place behind her. They all looked expectantly at Kunzite, waiting for him to express his gratitude for Beryl producing an heir to take over the Dark Kingdom one day. Someone called his name. All the while, the room moved in double time around him while he remained rooted to the ground. He wanted to turn and walk the other way, instead. Someone was shaking him now, and he knew they wanted to see Kunzite show his reverence, but he just couldn't. The spawn of Beryl…

KUNZITE

Kunzite darted straight up in bed, sweat pouring down and heart beating out of his chest. The spawn of Beryl…

He jumped as he felt a soft hand gently brush his sweaty hair out of his face. Minako, now wide awake, sat up beside him. He blinked confused. Minako nuzzled his neck and looked up at him with questioning eyes.

"I'm sorry to wake you up," he started, out of breath from panting so hard. "I just had a nightmare that I was back in the Dark Kingdom." He drew Minako close to him for comfort.

"Beryl was pregnant…"


	3. Endearing

**#97: Endearing**

"Lucky bastard," Jadeite sighed. Zoisite raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"Makoto is giving birth and Nephrite gets something we don't have," Jadeite replied. The two men sat in a posh palace waiting room while the girls and Nephrite attended to Makoto.

"What's that?" asked Zoisite.

"The kind of love that comes from having a family," he said enviously.

"Well, I'm sure the world can wait a little longer before the likes of your and Rei's children start terrorizing our Universe," Zoisite chuckled.

"You can't tell me that you and Ami don't want children one day?" Jadeite questioned. "My kids will need someone to give them a run for their money," he said, trying to bait Zoisite; and Zoisite took a huge bite.

"Assuming that my kids pick up on my traits," he said casually. "They will hopefully be all Ami. But, I want twin girls," he said, coming over to lean against the wall Jadeite currently occupied.

"Do you? I can't see you having two little 'daddy's girls,'" Jadeite replied, still staring off into space.

"Yeah, and I want to name my girls Ava and Zhea," Zoisite continued. "They will be my little intellectual princesses."

"And pretty just like you?" Jadeite quipped. Zoisite rolled his eyes. "And how charming, naming them an A and Z name," Zoisite tried to hide his small blush at revealing one small secret and having Jadeite make fun of it. He changed the subject.

"What about you?" He asked.

"Two kids: a boy and a girl, and I'm not girly enough to have their names picked out," he replied rather quickly. To save himself from Zoisite picking up on that fact, he continued, "But you know Kunzite is going to be the one with 8 kids." Zoisite liked that idea.

"Minako will get to name them all," he added.

"And they will all be cute names, like Daisy," Jadeite said. "Nephrite will probably name his daughter after some star or constellation, like Mira, Izar, or Suhail."

"You have given this way too much thought," Zoisite remarked.

"He has, but those would have made good names," Nephrite interrupted. His fellow Shitennou jumped up to find him standing there, looking down in awe at his newborn daughter and holding her delicately in his strong arms.

"I want to introduce you to Peridot," he said with fatherly pride. He shot a glance over a Jadeite. "Named after a green color like her mother's signature color and after a gemstone/mineral substance like her papa." Nephrite let Zoisite and Jadeite take a closer peek as his gemstone before leaving to take her back to her tired mother.

"Griffin and Amalthea," Jadeite said abruptly, as Nephrite left the room, still under tiny Peridot's spell. "That is what I want to name my son and daughter one day."


	4. Walking in Circles

**A/N:** Thank you Chikyuuhime for giving these a read through!

**#55: Walking in Circles:**

Mamoru heaved a sigh and fell back dejectedly into the reclining chair in his apartment. The wispy apparitions of his Shitennou hovered above their respective stones.

"Let me get this straight, you four want me to tell the Senshi about all of this?" Mamoru asked. The spirits of the stones looked at the sofa, awaiting their fate. Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru and Setsuna nodded.

"They can't be in our world without the other girls knowing about them," Haruka affirmed. The Outers arrived at Mamoru's apartment earlier to discuss things with him. Setsuna had found out about the recent return of his former guardians and found it fitting to fill the rest of the Outers in. Apparently they had their own opinions on how to deal with the matter.

"The girls are getting their memories back," Michiru rationalized. "They have vague remembrances of their past lives with the Shitennou, and they definitely remember the Shitennou from the Dark Kingdom. They have every right to know that they are back." Mamoru held his head in his hands. He wasn't ready to deal with this - not yet.

"We have fought with them for a while now and you even longer," Michiru continued. "You know as well as I do that there will be hell to pay if they find out on their own, especially if you try to hide this from them. I think that they have earned the right to know."

The Shitennou awaited their sentence. Sure they wanted to be reunited with the Senshi, but their reactions would certainly not make it an easy reunion.

Mamoru stood up and began pacing the room in circles. He looked at the faces of his loyal guardians and friends. He then looked over at the demanding faces of the Outers. How did he always find himself in these situations?

"Ok, ok, but before I invite them over, make sure my fire extinguisher is full, take down anything that can conduct electricity, make sure my heater is working in case I need to counteract the next ice age and help me think of what to do with Minako. Lord knows what turmoil she will cause," Mamoru said, resigned and still walking in circles.

"Oh, and hide your breakables, Rei likes to throw things," added Jadeite. Mamoru nodded.

"Go hide any research books and your computer," Zoisite said. Mamoru looked up at him quizzically. "Ami might begin researching ways to kill me-or worse, trap us all back in our stones so they can smash them," he said with a shudder.

"Right," Mamoru muttered.

"Hide anything sharp from the kitchen, Makoto will surely head there first and there is no one else she can cause pain to but you," Nephrite said. "The Outers are just the whistleblowers, I bet they will be safe."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Mamoru sighed. "Kunzite, anything else to add?"

"Not at all, I think you summed it all up pretty well. You never know what will happen with Minako," Kunzite said.

"Better yet, I should take us all to a big empty field to do these introductions," Mamoru said with a pained smile.


	5. Cheese

**# 3: Cheese:**

Nephrite leaned against the cold grey walls of Beryl's throne room and enjoyed a nice stiff drink. Jadeite would need some moral support soon, as he was on the receiving end of Beryl's wrath. Even as he kneeled before her, Nephrite could tell Jadeite was beating himself up for his latest failure.

"We could offer our services to Jadeite," Zoisite remarked in a low tone. Nephrite looked up and noticed the presence of his fellow Shitennou. He coolly acknowledged his existence and went back to his drink.

"But instead, you are just going to poke snide jokes and make rude comments," Zoisite continued, ignoring the fact that Nephrite was barely listening to him. Nephrite continued sipping from the tip of his glass.

"You don't _have _to make idle conversation," Nephrite replied, still focused on Jadeite and his drink. The two Shitennou noticed Beryl take her leave and nodded respectfully in her direction. They ambled over to Jadeite who was standing up slowly.

"Next time, don't let a pair of violet eyes, a head full of charcoal hair, and a set of legs hold you back," Nephrite said snidely.

"Your time will come and we'll see what your weakness will be," Jadeite replied evenly.

"Nephrite is right, the Senshi are strong and you need to focus," Zoisite chimed in.

"And I told you that we don't need your idle chatter," Nephrite said coolly. "Perhaps if you focused on yourself and quit relying on Kunzite, you would be stronger. As it is, your self-doubt will be your weakness."

"Leave it be, Nephrite," Jadeite said. "I do not underestimate my opponent. I respect their power and their strength."

"I am only trying to make you both stronger," Nephrite said, shrugging. "We are only as strong as our weakest link. Believe it or not, I would like to see Jadeite succeed."

"How sweet," Zoisite said sarcastically. "Funny how that doesn't seem to be the case."

"Zoisite, would you like some cheese to go with that whine?" Nephrite said before walking out of the throne room, flinging his empty glass to the floor.


	6. Rainy Days

**#1: Rainy Days:**

Makoto loved it when stormed. She was surrounded by her element and some hidden part of her soul would always come out to play, brightening up the room. He loved it when it stormed, too. It was his excuse to cuddle up with Makoto, wherever and whenever. Now that he and Makoto were finally reunited had and overcome their past trials, he would take a good cuddle wherever and whenever.

Nephrite jumped up to answer the phone as it began ringing. He rolled his eyes when he checked the caller ID.

"What can I do for you Kunzite," he joked. "Makoto is on her way over, so make it fast."

"So I guess you are not going to come hang out with Zoisite and I?" He asked, pretending to sound hurt.

"You guess right," Nephrite replied. "What is Minako doing today?"

"She is taking Ami shopping. Ami needs a graduation dress to wear underneath her robes," Kunzite responded.

"Oh Kunzite, Zoisite is beeping in on the other line, I'll just talk to you later?" Nephrite asked.

"Sure, you kids don't get into too much trouble," Kunzite chided, hanging up. Nephrite switched over to the other line.

"Yes?" he greeted Zoisite.

"Hello to you, too. I was wondering if you wanted to come bum around with Kunzite and I today. Ami stole Minako for some shopping," he said.

"Yeah, Kunzite just called to ask me the same thing. Fortunately, Makoto and I have plans."

"Sure…"

"Zoisite? Can you hold that thought, Makoto is at the door," Nephrite interrupted him. He opened the door and found his Makoto very much alive from the influence of her element. He reached out and pulled her into a kiss.

"Ewww, kids, I'm still here!" They heard Zoisite yell through the phone. Nephrite chuckled and raised the phone back to his ear.

"Sorry, Makoto wanted to say hello," he said, no hint of apology in his voice.

"Well, I'll let you get right to your wild sexcapades with your sex goddess," Zoisite said slyly.

"She's not here for wild sexcapades, but she is my sex goddess," Nephrite repeated. Makoto raised her eyebrow at that. Nephrite motioned for her to come into the apartment as he hung up with Zoisite.

"Where were we?" he murmured, grabbing her waist and pulling her back in.

"Not here for sexcapades?" she asked, demurely looking into his eyes. "Well, if that is how you feel…" They were interrupted by the phone ringing. Nephrite looked down at the phone's caller ID and sighed. His eyes pleaded for Makoto to give him a minute and she nodded.

"Hello?" he asked irritated.

"Why can't you come hang out with the guys and I? They just called and said that you were _busy_. It's like a perfect afternoon for some guy time!" Jadeite said.

"Because, I am _busy_, as you say," Nephrite said. "Give the boys my sincerest regrets that Minako and Ami are shopping, and as for you, my deepest regrets that they dragged you into their moping about. Now, goodbye," Nephrite said as he hung up the phone.

"Sorry about that," he said, lifting Makoto up for a hug.

"That's ok, I'm used to how dependent on each other you guys are," she said sweetly. "Its actually really cute, and a huge turn on…"


	7. Life Ambition

**A/N:** Thank you Chikyuuhime for working your magic on these!

**#8: Life Ambition: **

Jadeite glanced around enviously at the chatting families eating dinner. Neo-Queen Serenity and Neo-King Endymion had constructed an intimate dining room for just their circle of companions to kick back and be normal, away from the gossiping palace staff.

Indeed, the room had never been more alive. Makoto held baby Peridot, allowing Nephrite to finish his meal. Of course Makoto would not nurse with the other Shitennou in her presence. Kunzite rubbed Minako's bulging stomach absentmindedly. They were expecting triplets in two month's time. Jadeite chuckled to himself as he recalled predicting Kunzite would be the one ending up with 8 kids. Zoisite was tending to Ami who looked a little green around the gills. They were months away from getting those twin girls that Zoisite had dreamed of.

_Everyone gets multiple kids at once, and I'm not even close to becoming a dad, _he sighed to himself. _The irony of it all. _

"Jed, where is Rei?" Neo-Queen Serenity asked, interrupting his stream of thoughts.

"She had to go buy something, she said," he replied. "She should be back any minute. Oh, Nephrite, happy Father's Day to you," he said, truly trying to sound jovial. Nephrite grinned through his mouth full of food. He was still basking in the glory of new-found fatherhood.

"Peridot got him a new lens for his telescope," Makoto said, as she looked fondly at her little gemstone.

"And that's why I became a father," Nephrite joked, looking tenderly at his wife and baby.

"Sorry I'm late!" Rei burst through the doors. Something was different, but he couldn't quite pinpoint it. Ami studied her for a moment and asked if everything went alright.

"I'm just fine," Rei said breezily, bringing her plate over toward Jadeite. She slid onto his lap and gave him a demure smile.

"I got you a present," she said excitedly, leaning in towards him. She pulled a small package out of her pocket.

"Happy father's day, Jadeite," she whispered, soft enough to be sexy, but loud enough for the room to hear. Jadeite sat and blinked a few times, confused.

"But we don't have a kid," he said. Rei grinned and realization dawned in his eyes.

"Are you?"

"Uh huh"

"How long?"

"About a month and half, but I found out yesterday"

"boy or girl?"

"it's too soon to tell that"

"I'm going to be a dad!"

"Uh huh"

"You're going to be a mom?"

"yes"

"and your boobs will get bigger?"

"Jadeite…"

"Come here, you!" he said, eagerly picking her up for a giant hug. He kissed her with all of his might and suddenly let her go. She looked at him questioningly.

"I don't want to hurt the baby," he said innocently. Rei laughed.

"Your hugs and kisses will never hurt the baby," she said putting her arms back around his neck. "What about your father's day present?" she asked, looking at the small package on the floor where he had dropped it in his shock and excitement.

"You are by far the best father's day present," he said, pulling her closer.

"We're pregnant!" He exclaimed to the amused room.


	8. Musings

**#93: Musings**

I don't deserve what I have now. I don't deserve to be holding her as she sleeps in my arms. I don't deserve her forgiveness. I don't deserve to be living once again in this glorious palace of dreams and humanity. I don't deserve to have a second chance of helping to protect Earth.

I don't know how, but for all of the times I have tried to stop it, the world keeps on turning. In my first life, I remember when I first found her smile. It took a while, but soon I could claim that smile for my own and she was only too happy to give it to me. I never meant to throw that precious smile back in her face in that one defining moment.

I don't remember having time to breathe. One second I was trying to figure out what to do and the next minute, I couldn't remember her name or what it meant to me. I only knew of destruction and my mission. I had a new mistress to control my heart.

I never knew what I was doing until I wiped her blood off of my palms. It was at that moment that the spell broke and I was free. However, my freedom led me straight to my hell. I fell to my knees and cradled her head in my lap. It was all I could do for her. She looked up at me with an unreadable expression and slowly lifted one hand to caress my cheek. I barely saw her use her remaining strength to whisper her attack. She had every right to do it and I would have done the same. We lay dying together on the cold ruins of the Moon Palace.

In my second life, I would have been proud to say that I didn't have a heart. All of the vengeance, blood and screams in the world would never clench my agonizing thirst. I didn't just want to kill her, but her friends, her Princess, and my Prince. I died trying, mercifully failing in this conquest.

In my third life, I had broken free from all restraints. No more darkness, no more being bound to an object and no more questions. I found her and, along with that, found light, hope, wisdom, passion, security and strength. We grew to trust each other and found a new love amidst all of our past trials.

Now, in this fourth life, we didn't come back as strangers on different sides. We didn't come back as strangers waiting to meet and start anew. We came back from that ice age as lovers, and we awoke side by side. She remains at my side and I still fear that I will fall weak again and repeat past mistakes. But I know that she will always be beside me to keep me strong and bring me back to where I belong – in her arms.


	9. Saturday Morning Cartoons

**#47: Saturday Morning Cartoons**

Zoisite whisked into the room and smoothly picked up Ami. He twirled her around, her afternoon dress flowing around them, and then dipped her into a passionate kiss. Minako giggled at his enthusiastic display. He looked up beaming and asked her where Kunzite was. She shrugged.

"He stepped out, but should be back in a minute, he owes me a shoulder rub," she replied. "What's up?" she asked. Zoisite just stood there with his eyes twinkling.

"I'll tell you when Kunzite comes back," he said. "But I will tell you that I thought when this day came I would feel older than dirt. But I've never felt more alive!" He said, taking his wife again and kissing her deeply. Ami stood up blushing and Minako chuckled.

"Good night last night?" she said with a smirk.

"I'll bet. You know Mercurians," Kunzite interjected, coming up behind Minako. "All blushes in public but feisty behind closed doors, or so I hear." Ami was hiding her face in Zoisite's chest while Minako sighed as Kunzite began to tend to her aching shoulders.

"Well, you will never guess who I just spoke to." Zoisite blurted out, barely being able to contain his news. They could hear Ami's muffled voice say something.

"No, no, I wasn't near Europe today," he responded, "But Kunz and Mina's son approached me."

"Gareth?" asked Minako.

"Yes. He asked for Ava's hand in marriage." He said calmly, hoping for a good reaction out of the room. He wasn't disappointed. Ami's head popped up and Kunzite gathered a bouncing Minako in his arms.

"I remember when they were born, only one week apart," sighed Minako. "They've been sleeping together since they were two months old!" she joked.

"Heck, I remember how they tried for the longest time to convince us that they were nothing more than best friends," Kunzite chimed in.

"Just yesterday they were watching Saturday morning cartoons together, with their siblings sprawled out beside them," Ami said wistfully.

Minako looked over at Ami, "I wish we could go back to those days with our kids dragging us out of bed just to watch those Saturday morning cartoons, but soon we'll get to watch them as grandmas!" she said, trying to hide her glee behind a manufactured wistful expression.

"I always wanted to go hang each of her boyfriends up the nearest tree, but I never felt that way about Gareth," Zoisite said. "I couldn't be more proud of her choice." He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Daddy?" Ava said, as she poked her head inside the door, midnight blue hair swirling around and her green eyes alive. Zoisite nodded and she swung the door open and bounced inside, an equally lively Gareth in tow. He had Kunzite's physique and looks, but Minako's personality. His daughter had the same look in her eyes that Ami gave only to him. Gareth was beaming at Ava with the kind of look he hoped he gave Ami-the kind of look that showed his reverence and love of her.

"Dad, Mum, Uncle Kunzite, Aunt Minako…we're engaged!"

* * *

**A/n:** I welcome any constructive comments or reviews! I only aim to improve. 


	10. Still Waters Run Deep

**A/N:** Thank you Chikyuuhime for keeping that magic wand out! And thank you Usagi of the Feudal Moon Era and Chikyuuhime for all of your support – ya'll keep me smiling!

* * *

**# 78: Sill Waters Run Deep**

"People will revert to their inherent Hobbsean nature," Zoisite said. "The philosopher Hobbes himself said that men are ruthless and smart; they will take what they need for survival using any means necessary."

"Still, my favorite philosopher, Rousseau, believed man was inherently good and formed society out of necessity," Ami countered. "Everyone starts with a clean slate, and it is not that man is inherently evil, as Hobbes believed, but it is society itself that corrupts people. People intend to be 'good' until they have to start playing mind games and politics to get ahead- and politics and mind games are created by society itself."

Zoisite and Ami walked hand in hand down the demolished streets of what used to be Tokyo. The world had just awoken after the disastrous great freeze. The Senshi and Shitennou had yet to begin constructing Crystal Tokyo, but Zoisite and Ami couldn't help but debate the social implications of what they were about to embark upon.

"It doesn't matter so much how we think people will act in this temporary state of anarchy. Neo-Queen Serenity already has earned their respect and captured their attention. They will follow us as long as they see action. We need to prove that we are going to follow through with all we promise to do," Zoisite continued.

"I still believe we will see neighbor helping neighbor, for the time being, as long as we act quickly. Besides, anarchy is not necessarily a bad thing. The word has negative connotations, but in reality, the world before the freeze existed in anarchy. Nations acted and reacted based upon how they perceived other nations would act and react. It was all an unpredictable and unorganized game," Ami said.

The two of them reached the sight of a melting lake. Zoisite took off his jacket and spread it out on the ground for the two to sit on.

"That is true, but we don't have nations playing a strategic logic game anymore. You are assuming that the actors in question are operating under sufficient conditions-they are taking action because they can. Now, with the new Crystal Tokyo to design, we need to define necessary conditions-we have to take action because we can _and_ we have to. We have to establish the Shitennou as the Four Kings again, and we have to make this place utopian enough so that you four can re-colonize your planets and not worry about protecting Serenity 24/7," Zoisite said.

He gathered Ami in his arms and she leaned against his chest.

She sighed, "I guess you are right, but I am out of my element here. I don't know as much as you about political philosophy. Once we are organized and have Crystal Tokyo underway, I can go back to working with what I know the most about - medicine and technology."

"Your boy Rousseau did make a point that should give you hope. He said that once society came out of anarchy and formed their social contract, they began to specialize," Zoisite said. Ami reveled in the soothing feeling of his chest vibrating when he spoke.

"Social contract theory? Remind me," Ami said.

"People agreed that instead of running around like headless chickens, that they would be nice, polite citizens of a government. So, since they agreed to behave, the government agreed to protect them from harm, and make sure that they got basic rights like freedom. Rousseau said that after people got used to living with a government, that they began to specialize and do what they were best at.

"For example, some people could farm very well and others could make horseshoes very well. So people let each other do what they were best at, and then shared what they had. Farmers bought horseshoes from blacksmiths and blacksmiths bought the farmer's food. That is how people began to evolve into the complicated society we have today," Zoisite finished.

"Mmmmm," Ami sighed. "I love it when we get to have a free moment to talk about whatever we want, without the others interrupting. They always say that our conversations go way over their heads, but I don't think so."

Zoisite looked down at her and gently tilted her chin up toward his. "I agree," he said, kissing her gently.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope I didn't go too over the top with intellectual conversation. I was looking at what I have written for Zoi and wanted to show a more serious side of him, and that even someone as fun-loving as Zoi knows that there are deeper things going on in his world. I wanted to hit home that Ami/Zoi were made for each other on every level. And it was just too much fun to write... 


	11. Waiting

**#76: Waiting:**

Endymion quickened his pace as he approached the apartment style room Nephrite and Kunzite shared when staying at the Moon Palace. Of all the long distance relationships imaginable, Endymion never fathomed that he would be the one with his love living a planet away – or in his case a moon away. Still, when they had a chance to be together, he intended to enjoy every minute of it and tonight they were all supposed to meet for dinner in half an hour. This would be the first time any of them would see their ladies in over a month.

He walked in to find Zoisite lounging in an easy chair, Jadeite eating fruit and Kunzite walking around in his bathrobe.

"Uh guys, shouldn't you be getting ready to go?" Endymion asked, nervous that they were about to give him a few grey hairs and a massive urge to strangle someone.

Kunzite shrugged, "I was just getting out of the shower and now I'm going to change," he said as he closed the door to his temporary bedroom. Endymion could always count on Kunzite. Jadeite and Zoisite on the other hand were more of a mental challenge.

"Ahem," Endymion said in their direction. Zoisite looked up.

"Right, I'll go change," he said, getting up to walk across the hall to the apartment style room Jadeite and he shared. "Seat check!" he called over his shoulder, with a smirk.

Endymion looked over at Jadeite and said, "you can go change too, you both have your own rooms over there."

"It's only going to take me 5 minutes to change, I still have time," he said dismissively, plopping down in Zoisite's recently vacated chair.

Kunzite popped his head out the door and called out, "guys, will this color clash with the orange I know Minako will be wearing tonight?"

"No, its fine," Endymion said. Kunzite looked doubtful and replied, "Still, I think I will try something else." He went back into his room and closed the door.

Nephrite took this moment to put in his appearance, dressed and ready to go. Endymion felt a fourth of the weight lift off of his chest. Nephrite came over and sat on the sofa next to Endymion. Endymion felt more weight lift off of his chest as Zoisite returned, also dressed and ready to go.

"Dude, you took my chair," he called over to Jadeite, annoyed.

"You left," Jadeite said.

"I called seat check," Zoisite tossed back.

"But you left the chair area," Jadeite finished. Endymion gracefully stepped in to play mediator.

"Jadeite, it doesn't matter because now you have to go change," he said. Jadeite made no move to get up. Kunzite marched out a second time, wearing a different outfit.

"Does this outfit make me look too flabby? It just doesn't catch my muscles the way they were meant to be caught." _Unbelievable_, Endymion thought.

"You look fine, Minako will love you," Nephrite replied.

_Scratch that, can't count on Kunzite, but can always count on Nephrite, _Endymion amended in his head. Kunzite just muttered to himself and walked back into his room, closing the door. Endymion and Nephrite jumped as they heard the telltale sounds of a scuffle. Jadeite was out of the chair, but was holding the cushions in his hands.

"You can have the chair," he said sarcastically to Zoisite.

"You took the essence of the chair!" Zoisite cried, with a murderous scowl. Jadeite hooted and ran out the door, still holding the cushions. He returned 5 minutes later, in a towel and without the cushions.

"You stole my underwear!" cried Jadiete, accusing Zoisite. Endymion moaned and put his head in his hands.

"You stole my cushions!" cried Zoisite, "but I did not steal your underwear."

"I am soooo getting you back. I am going to do the opposite to you!"

"What are you going to do? Buy an underwear store?"

Kunzite appeared a third time, wearing yet another outfit

"Opposite is opposite!" called Jadeite, pointing a finger at Zoisite and then marching out the door. He then re-opened the door and stuck his head back in. "Kunzite, quit acting all girly like Zoisite and just wear that!" he called, closing the door again.

Both Kunzite and Zoisite turned bright red. Kunzite sighed and settled down on the couch, finally deciding that he was ready. _3 down and one to go,_ thought Endymion.

Jadeite burst back into the room wearing multiple layers of what looked like Zoisite's clothes.

"How is that the opposite?" cried Zoisite, disturbed.

"You take my underwear and I take everything you own. Gee, its hot in here," Jadeite said, ignoring Zoisite's troubled expression. "Maybe I should do some lunges. Too bad I'm going commando…"

"UHHAHHH" cried Zoisite.

"Ok, that's it! Zoisite, give him his underwear back, or find him some underwear to wear! Jadeite get dressed! Kunzite, that outfit is fine!" Endymion called out at his exasperating so called friends.

Jadeite and Zoisite grumbled as they filed out the door. He looked down at his watch. They were 1 minute late.

"I don't want to keep the girls waiting, heck I can hardly wait to see them myself," Endymion said. He motioned for Kunzite and Nephrite to follow him. "The Joey and Chandler wannabees can just meet us there."

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**A/N:** I love the TV show FRIENDS, and I bet you can see the show's influence on this drabble…bonus points if you can name the episode! If you didn't watch FRIENDS or don't watch the reruns, Joey and Chandler are two characters from the show. 


	12. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata

**A/N:** The Moonlight Sonata is really a very beautiful piece, if you have never heard it, I would seek it out!

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**#66: Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata"**

Kunzite strolled down the halls of Endymion's palace, preoccupied with questions stabbing him from every direction. He vaguely heard the haunting melodic streams of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata luring him toward the piano room. He absentmindedly followed his feet to where Zoisite sat pouring his anxious thoughts into his rendition of the Moonlight Sonata.

Lady Beryl had suddenly disappeared two years ago when rejected by Endymion. No one could have cared less, until she reappeared a few months ago. She made her presence known and made equally sure that the Shitennou knew that she had wanted them to help her. Help her how? Help her why? It made no sense, but she was relentless and very crafty in her methods. At first, they all thought that Lady Beryl was making a last ditch effort to snatch Endymion from Serenity. Yet, her proposals became less and less about Endymion and more and more disturbing. Disturbing to the point of causing inner-turmoil in each of the Shitennou.

Kunzite noticed Nephrite perched on the window seat, with a drink in his hand. He too had been caught by the enchanting melody. The music made for good thinking-it defined their mood and their very thoughts. Jadeite was looking equally distant, as he sat on a plush red chair by the fire.

"I think I know what she is up to," said Zoisite, not looking up from the piano keys. The others made no response, but Zoisite knew that he had their attention.

"She wants something grand for herself, she wants power and she knows that she needs us on her side. She also knows that we will never follow her, so she has to get around this someway. I think she will strike at our hearts and our weakest spots and use that to manipulate us. I think that she will play us against the girls."

"That seems like her kind of move, but how would she get the girls? The Senshi are just as adamant as we are about not following Beryl, and they are twice as stubborn as we are," Nephrite said in monotone.

"I'll bet Beryl knows that and will count on that. The best way for her to crack this new alliance is through us. I don't think that she will go after the girls, but she will go after us. We upset the girls, and their planets break the alliance, or something to that effect," Jadeite rationalized. Zoisite nodded and continued playing.

"She is also clever enough to figure out that the only way to crack the Moon/Earth alliance is through Serenity and Endymion, and Serenity is the weaker of the two. Once she breaks us down, Serenity will have to side with her own guardians, and not the 'untrustworthy Earth' that is new to the alliance. An entire system of planets will pressure her," Zoisite concluded.

"That doesn't make any sense. Serenity and Endymion would elope and pull the alliance back together. We can not break apart that easily and the girls would stand by us to get us through whatever Beryl throws our way," Kunzite argued. The endless chain of the melody continued to penetrate the room.

"I don't have any hard facts or statistical analysis to go by on this one," Zoisite replied calmly. "I don't have any history books or precedence for this. But I do have a feeling and a theory based on what I know of Beryl and the way people like Beryl works. It is not a sound plan, but if I were in her position I would to the same thing."

"Clever, clever boy," Beryl said snidely, applauding Zoisite and leaning against the door frame. The others looked up and Beryl walked into the room amidst the silence. Zoisite had abruptly stopped the flow of his melody.

"I heard what you boys were discussing, and I think that you are ready. You will have to be ready because I can't have you taking my secrets to the leaders of the alliance," she said, the moonlight casting an eerie shadow around her.

With that, Beryl slammed her staff on the floor and shot her hand out at the Shitennou. The Shitennou had no time to react before they were immersed in a haze of black, thick energy. Their world swirled and seemed to suck out their very souls. The last thing they heard before plunging into oblivion was Beryl's voice echo, "you were right, Zoisite…"

"You were right."

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**A/N**: Feel free to drop me a line. I love any constructive comments or reviews! I only aim to improve. 


	13. Home

**A/N:** Thank you Chikyuuhime, my faithful beta. Good luck with your crazy tests! Usagi of the Feudal Moon Era gets the golden award for naming the Friends episode and Taser SyberJedi - glad to make you laugh and I hope your cats are ok! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews.

**# 69: Home**

10-year-old Prince Endymion fidgeted beside his parents. The family stood at the transportation docks, waiting for his new guardians to arrive. These were the heirs to the four heavenly kingdoms spread out at each of the four points of Earth. He was to be their leader, and in return, they were to fight for him. He didn't know it then, but they were all to be the closest of friends.

A platinum haired boy of 13 arrived first, trying to hide his anxiety at the anticipation of his daunting expectations. He had already been selected to be leader of the four young Shitennou, and this was a task the boy did not intend to take lightly. His doubts were eased as the raven haired Prince extended his hand and gave him a beaming smile.

"Which one are you?" the Prince asked eagerly. The boy stifled a laugh at the Prince's charming personality. "I am Kunzite, of the Southern Provinces," he replied.

"Ahhh," the Prince said in awe. "Father told me about your strength and unwavering devotion. You are very powerful." Endymion impressed Kunzite immensely. He knew the exact balance of how to compliment, how to expresses his respect and confidence in his new leader, and how to make him feel comfortable. Kunzite was grateful for the Prince's skill.

"Prince Endymion?" asked an energetic young hellion, who seemed to have appeared from no where. "I am Jadeite from the East," he said proudly.

Kunzite regarded the hyper 8-year-old and tried to size him up. This one would be interesting to manage, but he looked clever and anxious to learn. Prince Endymion shook the boy's hand and gestured to Kunzite.

"This is one of your fellow Shitennou, Kunzite of the South," Endymion said. Jadeite turned to Kunzite and began pumping his hand up and down.

"Is that boy over there one of our fellow Shitennou? If so, we should go get him, he looks lost," Jadeite commented, pointing toward an uncertain looking boy.

Endymion and Kunzite turned around to glance at the boy in question. He was hungrily taking in everything there was too see, but still seemed timid about approaching the group of boys.

"I'll get him," Jadeite said. Kunzite shook his head. "You'll probably scare him away, why don't I go fetch him," Kunzite said. Kunzite walked over to the boy. "Are you a Shitennou from the North or West?" he politely asked.

The boy nodded. "I am the one from the North." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Kunzite. "Are you one of the Shitennou?" Kunzite nodded impressed with the boy's careful assessment of himself. The two walked over to join Endymion and Jadeite.

"This is the one from the North," Kunzite introduced.

"My name is Zoisite," the 9-year-old added.

"Very good," Endymion replied. "I hear you like to read and that you are probably the smartest person on Earth right now. Is it true you are as smart as the legendary Mercurians?"

"Well, I guess I am smart, but I don't know about being that smart. My mom is part Mercurian, though," Zoisite replied modestly.

"You have some Mercurian in you? I am somewhat of a mutt, too. My mom's family has all kinds of blood in it, but mostly Jovian, Venusian, Mercurian, Saturneese and something else," a new arrival jumped in. "My name is Nephrite, and I am from the Western Territories."

"Nephrite? I hear that you can read stars," Endymion replied. "It's nice to have you here." The 12-year-old smiled.

"I do like the stars. Maybe one day our Earth will become friends again with the rest of the planets so that we can travel closer to the starts and see new places," he said dreamily.

"I would like that too. Hopefully, our group will be the one to make peace," Endymion said smiling. Kunzite remarked that the Prince had maturity and diplomatic skills beyond his years.

The boys shook hands all around and finished the necessary small talk. Thanks to the Prince's skill, Kunzite was opening up, Jadeite was settling down, Zoisite was beginning to show his true colors, and Nephrite's opinions reflected his range of emotions. Yes, this group of boys would get along just fine.


	14. Maturity of Overrated

**#75: Maturity is Overrated:**

"Don't get me wrong, I love a good shag with Rei as much as the next man enjoys a good shag with their girl, but its time for some beer, slouching, and manly activity," Jadeite exclaimed as he burst out of the teleport site.

Endymion and his men had just returned to Earth from their latest round of talks with Queen Selenity of the Moon. They spent every minute either discussing mundane details of an alliance or hiding their secret rendezvous with their not so secret lovers.

"What did you have in mind?" asked Endymion warily.

"Ever hear of cow tipping?" Jadeite asked, raising an eyebrow. Kunzite rolled his eyes.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"You're right…Zoi, are you man enough to handle some of that?" Jadeite joked. Zoisite exasperatedly blew the strands of hair off of his face and lunged towards Jadeite. They rolled around the floor until Zoisite pinned him in a classic wrestler style. Jadeite yielded.

"Fine, pretty boy has some muscles," Jadeite muttered. "So, Zoi, what should we do?"

"Beer," he said simply. The group made a motion to leave when Kunzite interrupted them.

"Not in uniform," he said and the others sighed as they trudged to their rooms to change.

_A change of clothes and a keg later_

"Minako, I don't remember your eyes being so green," Kunzite proclaimed, reaching out toward Zoisite in a funny form of stumble.

"Ha Ha," Zoisite said. "Youuuu are not thaaat drunk-ith," Zoisite replied.

"Lighten up, I had to jump on Nephrite's bandwagon of making fun of you," Kunzite replied, swaying.

"My bandwagon, not Neph's" Jadeite corrected him.

"Right," Kunzite said. "Nephrite, you have been quiet tonight."

"Burp."

"What was that Neph?" Kunzite slurred.

"Screw this 'man' stuff, I want to go see Makoto," Nephrite clarified.

"Nephrite said 'screw,'" Jadeite guffawed. "We know what he is really thinking!"

"Real mature, Jed," Endymion commented dryly.


	15. Remote Control

**# 7: Remote Control**

Kunzite and Zoisite lounged across a sofa in the Dark Kingdom's media room. Both had intentions of catching the Senshi and this was their preferred method of doing their homework. Kunzite sat sprawled across the sofa, extending his arms lazily over the top edge. Zoisite perched on the arm of the sofa, propping his chin in his hands.

Zoisite couldn't help let his thoughts wonder beyond his homework, though. Right now, he felt empowered and full of life. True he had powers, and true Beryl had bestowed upon him this gift and a chance to serve her. Yet, what if he didn't live up to that? What if he couldn't prove his worthiness? What if he failed? He would be leaving everything behind, and for what?

Kunzite's mind also wondered. He felt grateful for Zoisite's presence and felt some small joy that they were that much closer to completing their mission. Normally, his empty shell of a soul didn't permit him such feelings and he went about his life as if it were routine. He felt numb and sought refuge in the knowledge that he was the most experienced, most powerful, and highly regarded member of the Dark Kingdom, save Beryl herself. His little apprentice might one day possess the same prestige, but they would cross that bridge when the time came. He sighed and stretched his hands further along the couch.

Zoisite's skin tingled at Kunzite's touch. Kunzite's fingers grazed his backside as he had settled in to be more comfortable. Kunzite and he shared many things. They had their time together watching the Senshi, they trained together and talked strategy. They could get closer to each other than would normally seem socially acceptable, and this was all commonplace to them. Zoisite didn't know the meaning of the word "share" outside of the context of his and Kunzite's relationship.

Kunzite continued to sink further into the couch. He thought nothing of lightly touching Zoisite as he stretched out. The gesture seemed natural to him. Zoisite looked down at Kunzite, and Kunzite nodded. They could sit in a comfortable silence and still communicate perfectly fine. Zoisite shifted so that he was leaning back and placed his hands behind him for balance. He now nearly sat on top of Kunzite's hand, but he welcomed the pressure.

Zoisite handed Kunzite the remote control and Kunzite accepted the gesture. They both recognized this as a symbol of acknowledged power. Kunzite was the dominant one. He was expected to take control and call the shots. Zoisite would match Kunzite's moves and contribute when given the unspoken permission. They liked it this way-it catered to their current mentality. They would wait for Kunzite to make his move, and they both knew that Kunzite never failed to act.

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**A/n**: I love any constructive comments or reviews! I only aim to improve. 


	16. Kids Say the Darndest Things

**A/N:** Thank you Chikyuuhime, my faithful beta. You are awesome! (Oh, and thanks for sharing Heath Ledger with the world!) (giggle, giggle) Usagi of the Feudal Moon Era…an expensive ceremony? Calling all readers: we need to do a fundraiser… raye85 – thank you for your sweet review.

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**# 42: Kids Say the Darndest Things**

"Daddy, why is Auntie Minako fat again?" Jadeite chuckled as he looked down at his little diva. 3-year-old Amalthea had makeup smeared all over her chubby cheeks. She wore one of Rei's dresses complete with a pair of Rei's stilettos.

"Well firecracker, your Auntie Minako is going to have another baby," Jadeite replied.

"Don't I have enough cousins?" she asked innocently. Jadeite wanted to pick up his little angel and squeeze her. She had appropriately picked up on what her daddy teased her Uncle Kunzite about all the time: having a million children. Kunzite and Minako already had their triplets Gareth, Genevieve and Ametrine, as well as a fourth daughter Starre. Now they were on to number five.

"Uncle Nephrite told me that babies came from kissing, and that I could just ask my dad for the rest of the story," she started. Jadeite nearly groaned. She was only 3 for crying out loud! He would kill Nephrite for even giving her ideas.

"Firecracker, babies come when a mom and dad love each other sooooo very much, and kissing is just one way that they show their love. But that is not where babies come from. I will tell you the rest of the story in 30 years or so," Jadeite said sternly, still looking lovingly into his baby's eyes.

She returned his gaze with equal determination. _Rei's stubborn look, _Jadeite thought to himself. "I saw Auntie Ami and Uncle Zoisite kissing. Are they going to have a baby?" she asked, ever so earnestly. He looked up and saw Rei had entered the room and was stifling a smile, waiting to see how her husband would handle this one. Children and their simple logic.

"Honey, I just told you that kissing does not make a baby," Jadeite said patiently. Truth be told, both Rei and he were thinking the same thing about Ami and Zoi. After complications with their third baby, Herman, Ami would never be able to have more children. The whole palace chipped in and watched Ami and Zoisite's twins, Ava and Zhea, while Zoisite was preoccupied with Ami's recovery.

Still, his child would not be deterred. "Did you and mommy kiss before you had me and Griffin?" He heard a muffled shriek of laughter as Rei tried to hold it in. Rei came over to help poor Jadeite out.

"When your father and I had you and your big brother, we did kiss, but babies come much later after a kiss. There is a lot more than kissing that makes a baby, and your father said that he would gladly tell you that story in 30 years or so," Rei said soothingly to Amalthea, while smirking at Jadeite.

"I guess you are right, mama," Amalthea sighed. "If babies came from kissing, Auntie Serenity and Uncle Endymion would have A LOT more kids," she said knowingly. Rei and Jadeite exchanged amused glances. Amalthea stood up and gathered Rei's dress that she was wearing and flung the boa across her shoulders.

"Where are you going, princess?" asked Jadeite.

"I am going to go tell Uncle Nephrite that he is wrong about where babies come from," she said, shuffling out of the room. The minute the door closed, Jadeite and Rei collapsed in fits of laughter.

"Well, someone needs to give Neph the baby lecture, it might as well be her!" Jadeite hooted. "His two kids Peridot and Metis are a handful!" Rei just rolled her eyes, still laughing at her daughter's antics.

"And _you_ need to keep your nose out of everyone's business!" she scolded. Jadeite couldn't help himself. Rei's scolding and quick temper always made him want to kiss the hell out of her. He reached out and pulled her in for said kiss. Rei broke the kiss, her eyes betraying a mirthful gleam.

"Careful, Amalthea might think we are going to be having a baby," she teased.

"Let her think that," Jadeite murmured as he pulled his wife down onto the sofa.


	17. Premonition

**# 9: Premonition**

Nephrite nearly jumped a mile when his cell phone rang. He was currently perched on his apartment building's roof, gauging the stars. He needed answers and he knew how to coax the stars into revealing all sorts of secrets.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Nephrite? Its Rei," came the reply.

"Rei? Hi…if you're looking for Makoto…" Nephrite began.

"No, I don't need Makoto, I wanted to ask you something," she said.

"Alright," he replied. Sure he was friends with Rei, but they rarely talked alone together. Mostly, they all interacted as a group, so Rei's calling him indicated something significant.

"I am sorry to bother you so late at night, but I just did a fire reading and wanted to run it by you. I thought that maybe the stars had told you something along the same lines or would at least fill in some answers," Rei said.

"I was actually up on the roof right now, trying to talk to them. What's up?" Nephrite asked, waiting to hear this story.

"Well, we all know bits and pieces of our future, but this doesn't seem to fit in anywhere and I am worried about a new enemy. I saw flashes of fire engulfing the Earth. The fire acted alive with a conscious and was very selective in what it chose to destroy. It didn't notice people; it only noticed bodies of water and the sky. It attacked only one person – Ami. What do you make of that?" Rei asked pensively.

Nephrite thought for a moment and looked up at the sky. He measured which bodies were flashing at him, which were the brightest, and which ones seemed to fade.

"Rei, I've felt that something is up for a while now. The stars have told me before that we will soon be choosing our fate. Does your fire reading indicate that this time is fast approaching?" Nephrite asked.

"It doesn't give me a time frame, but I thought everything we saw of our future indicated that an ice age would consume the Earth, and not fire," she said.

"Perhaps by choosing our fate we are choosing between a sentence of fire or ice," Nephrite thought reflectively. "Tonight, the stars are being frustratingly enigmatic, but they do fear for Earth. They hope that with extra bright light on their behalf, that they can warm the Earth. That to me says ice age."

"Well if you are right, do you think it will happen soon?" Rei asked.

"I think so," Nephrite responded. "Or at least from my end, the stars think so."

"This is so frustrating! So there is a choice we will soon have to make and our actions will inevitably lead to an ice age," Rei said more to herself as she mulled over the information.

"Maybe the flames will come first, and when they try to reach Ami, who represents ice, we save her and ultimately show the flames that we prefer ice," Nephrite pondered.

"Why wouldn't the flames come for me?" Rei wondered.

"Are your fire readings more symbolic of future events or more literal?" Nephrite asked.

"I am never wrong, it is just a matter of finding the correct interpretation," Rei responded.

"That doesn't answer my question," Nephrite said.

Rei sighed and said, "I know."

"We should call a meeting," Nephrite said reluctantly. There hadn't been any activity in years and both Shitennou and Senshi were enjoying freedom in a time before they knew they would have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Crystal Tokyo would one day be utopia, but it would also bring great responsibility. They were all perfectly happy living in present day Tokyo, living their own dreams for once.

"I agree," Rei said, with equal reluctance. "Lets search for more answers tonight and see what we can pull together before we get the group together. We should try to meet tomorrow."

Nephrite concurred with Rei and told her goodnight, as he hung up the phone. It looked like his life was about to be turned upside down again.


	18. Dream Home

**#36: Dream Home**

Neo-King Endymion walked into Kunzite's office in the Crystal Tokyo Palace to find him slouching in his chair, a mess of papers strewn about. Certainly Minako had not been there to rile him up, or else Endymion would have found abandoned items of clothing mixed in with the pile of paper…

Kunzite sighed and sat up straighter, seeing his liege enter the room. Endymion waited for Kunzite to talk on his own terms, knowing that this would be the only way to get to the root of the problem.

"Here we are, sitting in this magnificent palace, and there are still people outside of the Crystal Tokyo district, waiting for their own utopia," Kunzite deadpanned. "We have a utopia, and we won't let others in because we need them to be in our other territories, helping to rebuild them. People from the North, East, South and West who were not lucky enough to be in the Crystal Tokyo radius, are waiting miserably for us to do something and we can't work fast enough."

Endymion looked thoughtfully at the mass of papers on the floor, knowing that everything Kunzite said was true. Perhaps he shouldn't have spent their first hours constructing his dream home, but instead constructing dream homes for his constituents. It would forever be an endless circle of "what ifs" in his mind.

"We are spending valuable resources protecting our borders and building walls when those resources could go to helping people solve the root of their problems. They need structure in their province's governments and they need to develop programs for employment," Kunzite said with a blank expression.

"I agree," Endymion said. "They have nothing to lose, so why not try to come within our City's boundaries and seek out a potentially better life. Yet, we do not have the room for them. We need to act quickly to bring them the kind of prosperity that we have. It is the kind of situation that would bring tears to Sere's eyes."

"My King, we can not keep them out with a wall and they will need hands on help if they are to solve their situation. We can not send them advice and hope it works in the same way that we can not send them resources and hope that they do not squander them," Kunzite said.

"Kunz, its still Endy to you, and always will be – and I think I know where you are going with this and I have been waiting for one of you to ask to do this."

"If you have known, why didn't you order it sooner?" Kunzite asked.

"Because the idea needed to come from one of you. One of you needed to see a need to go out there and I knew it would be sooner than later. We needed to work to establish our central government and make sure there were no weaknesses before we would be secure enough to branch out. That time has come," Endymion said. "Remember, we built our system this way so that you could all go rebuild your territories and then effectively govern them from Crystal Tokyo."

"I am glad you approve. I think it would be best if the other Shitennou and I went to our respective provinces and personally led the reconstruction efforts. We need to actively attack the problem for what it is, and not for what we assume it is. We need to do something proactive, and not just defensive with ourselves in mind," Kunzite said, perking up a bit.

"Although, I will miss Minako," Kunzite added, trailing off a bit.

"She can always visit you, and you can come up and visit her. After you Shitennou rebuild your areas, the girls will be about ready to re-colonize their planets, and this can be time for them to focus on that," Endymion said, reasonably.

"I will call a meeting with the Shitennou and Senshi, outlining the plan," Kunzite said.

"Good, you have mine and Serenity's support," Endymion said. "Kunzite, you worry about building your people a dream house of their own."

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**A/n**: I love any constructive comments or reviews! I only aim to improve. 


	19. Growing Up

**A/N:** Thank you Chikyuuhime, Usagi of the Feudal Moon Era and Traser SyberJedi for all of your thoughts and comments. This batch of drabbles is dedicated to ya'll!

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**#62: Growing up**

Kunzite grunted as he swung his sword at Nephrite. After years of practice, both had improved their swordsmanship immensely. Their swords clanked as the practicing Shitennou met each other move for move. 17-year old Kunzite was regularly pitted against 16-year old Nephrite. They simply had developed more physical prowess than the younger Zoisite and Jadeite, both 13 and 12, respectively. That is not to say that they younger pair were developing into strong young teenagers in their own right.

Prince Endymion walked into the training arena and stood by Zoisite and Jadeite as they watched the other pair battle. Their assignment was to critique and assess their form. Both were well suited for the job considering their careful calculating and clever ability to strategize.

"It's kind of interesting to watch everyone fall into place and define what their roles on this team are," Endymion commented absentmindedly.

"What do you mean?" asked Jadeite.

"I mean that you are all learning how to play to your strengths, predict each other's moves and rely on each other. It is almost like you can read each other's minds, and I'm proud to have you four protecting our Kingdom," Endymion stated, with a hint of pride. The two finished their match and sauntered up to the trio.

"Well, I suppose that is enough practice for one day," Kunzite said.

"You're just saying that because you and Nephrite have dates tonight," Endymion said smugly.

"You both have dates? Ew," Jadeite commented.

"You just wait, I bet one day you will be ridiculously girl crazy," Nephrite said, smiling.

"There are better things than girls, right Zoisite?" Jadeite asked.

"Hmm," Zoisite responded non-committedly. "Girls are alright, I guess, but I don't want to date one."

"Yeah, dating one is out of the question," Jadeite continued. "They hang all over you and tell you how everything is cute: that small furry animal is cute, that dress is cute, you are cute. It's disgusting. Why can't girls be more like men? Why can't they just get angry and fight and then go on like nothing happened? Why do they hold grudges and remember everything?"

By this time, Kunzite and Nephrite were laughing hysterically at Jadeite's rant.

"You got that right, Jadeite," Kunzite said with the arrogant confidence of a young man just beginning to date. "But there is just something about them that makes you want to figure out their mysteries. They are kind of addicting."

"Who cares about solving mysteries?" Jadeite asked, still disgusted. "They are still annoying. I mean, do you know that Duchess Sebella? Well she still glares at me and stomps on my feet when people aren't looking, just because I said something to her two years ago. I don't even remember what it was, but she thinks I hurt her feelings."

"Don't you think that there is something so pure about a girl?" asked Endymion innocently, obviously trying to bait Jadeite.

"Pure? Girls won't ever tell you what they really think and then they get mad at you for not knowing what they want. They are still annoying!" Jadeite returned, crossing his arms.

"So we have to find you a girl who won't be afraid of telling you what she thinks _and _who won't act too girly-girl," commented Nephrite. Jadeite just continued crossing his arms.

"What about you Zoisite, what do you think of girls?" asked Endymion.

"As long as they aren't clingy, they are ok. It is pretty fun when I just smile at them and they turn all red and look away," Zoisite said, grinning.

"Right, well one day, you two will appreciate girls, but until then, I am going to go get ready for my date," Nephrite said, turning around to leave. Kunzite smiled knowingly at his younger companions and followed Nephrite.

"I hope we are never as bad as they are," Jadeite muttered.


	20. Bubbles

**#17: Bubbles**

Zoisite entered the Shitennou's lounge in the Moon Palace, walking on cloud nine and humming to himself. He knew that there would be no end to the merciless girly jokes that were sure to come his way, but he didn't care. He was head over heals in love.

His fellow friends looked up at him, waiting for him to talk. Zoisite just continued prancing around the room. He knew that they were supposed to be starting a meeting, but that was the last thing on his mind.

"She loves me," he thought, not realizing that he spoke out loud. He was greeted by wolf whistles.

"I never thought that I would ever see the day when Ami, the smartest person in the Universe, would be foolish enough to fall in love with you," Nephrite teased.

"Au contraire, she had lived up to her reputation for her intelligence. She chose me. She told me she loves me today, and I intend to celebrate her astute decision after this meeting," Zoisite replied. More wolf whistles.

"Does it upset her at all that you are prettier and more vain than she?" Jadeite quipped. Zoisite took a playful swipe at his head.

"You know, it doesn't matter what you say," Zoisite said, unaffected. "She is the most gorgeous, dazzling, perfect, beautiful, wonderful person in the Universe and my good looks don't hold a candle to hers."

"You know he's got it bad when he thinks someone is better looking than him," Kunzite commented.

"Say what you will, but she's the one," Zoisite said, still on cloud nine. "If this is what 'bad' is, then I'll be 'bad' for the rest of my life, because she is it. The one." The other guys grinned, gearing up to tease him some more.

"You guys act just the same way," Zoisite said casually, preventing the onslaught of teasing he knew was headed his way. "Jadeite is a lovesick puppy, Nephrite worships the ground Makoto walks on and let's just face it, Kunzite is whipped." The boys protested, but they couldn't deny it was all true. Kunzite tried to steer the conversation away from any mention of his being whipped.

"So shy, civilized Ami loves bold and mischievous you, huh?" Kunzite said. Zoisite burst out laughing.

"She is anything but shy!" he chortled. "No, no, once she gets away from the likes of all of you, she comes out of her shell. She becomes a brazen, alluring and stunning little minx. She can shock even me." He gauged the other's reactions.

"Seriously! That girl had some lessons from Minako or something!" Zoisite protested. The guy's laughter was interrupted by a knock on the door. They opened it to find Endymion standing there with a roguish smile on his face.

"Endymion, come to join us men and this lovesick fool for a meeting?" Jadeite asked. Endymion just grinned.

"I wouldn't mind staying for the meeting, but I just needed to escape the girls for a minute," he replied. "It seems that Serenity stumbled across a pair of green silk boxers and of course squealed rather loudly." He had the boys' attention.

"Well, she went and dragged the girls over to said boxers and demanded to know whose they were. The girls denied any knowledge of the boxers. Yet, suspiciously enough, the boxers were floating in one of the bubble fountains in the Mercury wing," Endymion continued, shifting an impish look toward Zoisite.

"Now, Ami denies ever having seen those green boxers, and perhaps that could be true…But I wonder if any of you boys know anything about why there is a pair of abandoned boxers laying in the palace?" Endymion teased. All eyes turned to Zoisite.

He held his hands up in mock-surrender. "Hey! Whosever they are, at least the bubbles have kept them clean!"


	21. Close Encounters

**#27: Close Encounters**

Nephrite perched on the roof of some bank as he watched his youma at work. His face remained unreadable as he waited for that youma to drain energy. As an added bonus, his youma made sure to wreak havoc in its wake. He didn't care so much how the youma went about its job, just so long as it got the job done. Jadeite's death meant that collecting energy was of even more importance. Energy was needed to bring him back to Dark Kingdom and out of his grave.

The screaming and running just made him chuckle inside. _The only thing to fear, is fear itself,_ as Theodore Roosevelt once said, and he made sure to justify this claim. He guaranteed that his youma were fear incarnates.

Nephrite paused in his musings as he caught sight of Naru running with the crowd. Funny how the fear in her eyes didn't bring the same satisfaction as it did to watch the other people's. His incognito alias would have jumped down and carried her to safety. However, he wasn't incognito at the moment and had a job to do. He ignored the painful throb in his upper left chest and turned away. He concentrated instead on thoughts of saving Jadeite.

"Hold it right there, creep!" he heard that voice cry out. It was the voice that reminded him of nails on a chalkboard and always meant that he would be deterred from his work.

"I live to take out trash like you, and you're going to the dumpster!" Sailor Moon continued. "I stand for love, I stand for justice, I'm Sailor Moon!" the brat self-righteously proclaimed. "And in the name of the Moon, I will punish you!"

Nephrite cracked his knuckles and swore under his breath. This youma had better take these girls once and for all. His face turned red as he heard her companions make the scene.

"I'm Sailor Mercury!"

"I'm Sailor Mars!"

_Always the same, self-righteous and cheesy introduction_

Nephrite didn't have time for this, yet he remained perched on the roof. He vaguely heard a shout and watched his view disappear. That wretched Mercury nerd created some thick fog that began choking him, even atop the roof. He swore louder this time and jumped a couple of roof tops down. Through the haze, he could see streams of bright light he could only assume meant Mars had taken over the fight.

_That Moon child is probably cowering in a corner while her gal pals do all the hard work, _Nephrite figured. The fog had finally cleared long enough for him to witness Mercury and Mars trapped in the clutches of his youma. He nodded in satisfaction, noting that this youma seemed more competent than the others.

"Sailor Moon, use you're tiara!" grunted Mars. Both girls were squealing and grunting under the pressure of the youma's trap.

"But I don't want to hit you two!" Sailor Moon wailed.

Nephrite sniffed. He could not understand what Jadeite had seen in these girls. Jadeite had respected and appreciated them for their raw power and natural abilities. Nephrite only saw three young girls who sobbed and shut down at the first turn of defeat. He watched in interest as Sailor Moon seemed to stand up straighter and gather shards of confidence from nowhere.

"You won't hurt my friends, prepare to be dusted, complements of Sailor Moon!" she called, a look of determination in her eyes.

He watched as a bright streak of light pierced the air and darted straight toward his youma. That blasted youma howled and disappeared to dust. Those measly Sailor brats were all free and unharmed. Nephrite couldn't contain his temper as it began to flare throughout his body.

"You haven't seen the last of me, and you won't be so lucky next time!" He shouted down to the three of them, hatred dripping on every word. Those Sailors looked up at him, not in fear, but in determined hatred.

"Come down and fight us, Nephrite!" Mars challenged. There was something sickening when someone as unworthy as them spoke his name.

"You'll get your day," Nephrite replied. He cursed as Mars shot a burst of flames in his direction. He disappeared and then reappeared on a different rooftop.

"You'll pay for that!" he howled. He wouldn't let them know it, but the flames managed to singe his sleeve and reach some of his wrist. "Until next time, brats," he tossed over his shoulder as he disappeared once and for all.

Indeed, they would pay.

* * *

**A/n**: Thoughts? Ideas? Initial Reactions? Comments? 


	22. Humble

**A/N:** Chikyuuhime – You are still _the _girl. How is life down under? Usagi of the Feudal Moon Era – Your reviews always make me grin and feel good inside. Thanks for keeping them coming!!! MoonChild9288 – many shouts out _and_ a golden prize. Thanks for the wonderful review!

* * *

**#44: Humble**

"Do you ever feel, I don't know…inadequate from dating someone who could kick your ass?" Nephrite asked out loud.

The Shitennou were supposed to be drafting plans for how they planned to govern their newly reacquired territories on Earth. The Crystal Tokyo palace had just been constructed and it was now time to branch out to assist the rest of the globe. However, interruptions were always more fun.

"What do you mean, I'm proud to get my ass kicked any day by someone so feisty," Jadeite commented.

"You know what I mean…we never get to just be the man. We never get to protect them because they don't need protecting. If they let us pretend to protect them, we know that they are just feeding our ego," Nephrite said.

"I don't know, I mean we never have to worry about the girls," Zoisite replied. "Plus, there is more a man can do for a woman besides be their bodyguard. They will always need someone to tell them they don't look fat…"

"Oh please! Minako could never be more confident about her looks, that would never happen," Kunzite snorted. "But I agree with Zoisite. They always need emotional comfort and they need to know that we value them as something more than the saviors of the Earth."

"I'll bet Makoto loves it when you compliment her cooking, or her decorating or anything else like that," Jadeite added.

"I suppose. I don't want her to be needy and clingy and whiny, but I do want to know once in a while that she needs me, if that makes sense," Nephrite said.

"Is this your male PMS?" Zoisite said, trying to make light of the mood. "Because those girls need us, more than we can ever know. Just the other day, Ami told me that I complete her and that she would die if she ever lost her other half. I know that the other girls feel just the same way."

"Wasn't it you, who said back in the Silver Millennium that women are mysteries?" Jadeite asked.

"I don't know how we remember all this stuff, but it was me who said that," Kunzite replied. "Jed is right, though. Women are a mystery and these particular girls have so much pride and strength, which makes them even more of a mystery."

"Yeah, they love us now, just as they have always loved us," Jadeite said.

"What is making you feel so inadequate?" Zoisite asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I am just kind of worried that I will go to rebuild the West, and Makoto won't need me here. I know she will miss me, but what if she doesn't _need _me?" Nephrite said. "Besides, you are all lucky. I got the strongest and the least girly of the group. Jed likes getting his ass kicked, Zoi has the most dependent girl and Kunz has the girly-girl."

"Neph is kind of right," Kunzite said slowly. "Minako may be a goddess, but she doesn't need me around. I am just lucky that she will have me."

"And Ami is so much more clever than I am and she doesn't need me to fight for her," Zoisite added. "I'll never be her knight in shining armor."

"That is kind of 'the dream' for a man – to be a knight in shining armor," Jadeite said. "Now look, you made us all depressed," Jadeite said to Nephrite, trying to make a joke, but failing miserably. Until now, they hadn't realized how much they would miss their girls while they rebuilt their areas.

"See, we can not be good men," Nephrite mumbled. This whole conversation was making the whole room feel extremely humble.

Little did they know that their girls were standing right outside the door and wondering what exactly made their "knights in shining armor" talk this way. One thing is for sure, they would each make sure that their man _knew_ he was needed.

* * *

**a/n: **I know, I know…but there is something sexy about seeing big tough guys be vulnerable for a moment… 


	23. Brunch

**#54: Brunch**

Kunzite looked deep into those entrancing blue eyes that had captivated him for thousands of years now. She was happily chattering about this and that, and those eyes animated her words and told a million stories. Even after all of this time, those eyes still held the same magic as they always had. Was that a streak of grey in her golden hair? Oh well, her eyes would never change.

Kunzite and Minako were coming on in years now. Crystal Tokyo had come, evolved, and flourished. Their five children were all grown up now, assuming the duties as Senshi, Shitennou and leaders of Venus. When Kunzite pried his own smoky eyes away from Minako's cerulean ones, he looked at the pictures that lined the walls:

Kunzite leaning over a balcony in the Early Crystal Tokyo days, looking into Minako's eyes; A tired Minako holding two small baby girls, while he held a tiny baby boy; Their triplets holding onto their two-year-old sister and their one-year-old brother, in front of a Christmas tree; His teenaged children surrounding him, as he blew out the candles on his birthday cake; His youngest son Thuban riding a horse, His daughter Starre dressed for a ball; His other daughters Genevieve and Ametrine climbing a tree Gareth and Ava dancing on their wedding day; A picture of him and his fellow Shitennou taken only two months before.

There were many things in his life that he would like to trade or take back, but Minako and their family was not one of them. For all of the scrapes, tears and headaches came infinite amounts of joy, cuddling and pride.

Minako kept talking as he absentmindedly stared into her eyes. It was rare that they ever had a leisurely brunch, just the two of them. He didn't mean to be tuning her out, but she always managed to cast a spell on him.

"Kunzite, did you hear me?" she asked. He awoke from trance.

"Sorry darling, you put a spell on me, again," he said, mock-accusingly. She just chuckled.

"With Genevieve protecting little Usagi…or not so little Usagi anymore…and Ametrine ruling Venus, Gareth helping to rule Mercury, Starre acting as chief diplomat of Venus and Thuban the Shitennou for the South, we can go away. We can see anything and do whatever we have always dreamed of, since the beginning of Crystal Tokyo," she said, dreamily. Kunzite could only stare, thinking this over.

"What, you don't trust that the Universe is in good hands?" Minako chided playfully.

"No, no…they are all good kids," he said proudly. "Ours and the other's kids have been ruling effectively for quite some time now. Its just I never thought we would ever get a chance to get away. We have always had a duty to fulfill, every single one of our lives."

Minako reached her hands over the brunch table took Kunzite's.

"We can do whatever we want, now."


	24. Dirty Laundry

**#50: Dirty Laundry**

"Zoisite, you reek," Jadeite said, holding his nose for dramatic effect.

"At least I haven't worn the same pair of pants for two weeks and the same shirt for 3 days," Zoisite replied, irritated.

"At least I don't have a stack of clothes in my room, taller than myself!" Jadeite shot back.

"Enough!" Kunzite interrupted. "Guys, lets face it. We need to do laundry."

Dead silence.

"Have we ever done laundry?" Nephrite asked, still in shock.

"Well, we…well, no, never," Jadeite said, stuttering.

"Well, it will have to be done. Someone always did it for us in the Silver Millennium and during that time with, well, you know, _her, _somehow our uniforms always came out clean. Now, we have been bunking in Mamoru's apartment for 2 weeks, and we can't tread on all of his hospitality," Kunzite reluctantly said.

"Laundry…" Zoisite said, in awe.

"Yes, genius, laundry. You need some pretty smelling clothes to compliment your pretty looks," Jadeite joked.

"No, seriously, let's gather up our stuff and wash it before Mamoru comes home from his hospital rotation," Kunzite insisted.

Jadeite and Zoisite sulked into the spare room they shared while Kunzite gathered his clothes from the makeshift room he created around the sofa. Nephrite walked out onto the balcony where he chose to hang a hammock and live out of a box. Yes, they all definitely needed to find places of their own. After they saved enough money from their new jobs, housing was second on their to-do list – right behind winning the loves of their lives back.

They all gathered around the laundry machine and peered inside. They shifted awkwardly from foot to foot and no one said anything.

"This is crazy! We can lead battalions into battle and single handedly protect a Prince, but we can't figure this stupid thing out," Nephrite grumbled.

"How hot do we need the water? I don't want to shrink anything," Zoisite said, worriedly.

"Barbie, you can't shrink stuff in the wash, only by leaving it the dryer too long," Jadeite said, smugly.

"If you are so smart, you do the laundry," Zoisite retorted.

"I'm not your bitch," Jadeite muttered.

"Can't one of you just call up one of the girls?" Kunzite asked, in defeat.

"HA! Rei would burn me alive! Again! I sense that there is some small tension right now, and I don't want to press my luck," Jadeite said.

"Small tension? She is out for blood," Zoisite teased. "Still, I'm in the same boat. I am getting cool indifference at best from Ami. Best not to tempt the fates there." They all looked over at Nephrite who shrugged.

"Makoto and I are making small talk, but there is no way in hell I am going to interrupt her at her internship. You never know when or where lightening will strike," Nephrite replied. He turned toward Kunzite. "Why don't you, oh wise leader, call Minako?"

"Are you crazy? She is the ring leader of this whole Senshi operation, or was, or still is, but that is not the point! If I make her mad, then she will make sure they all make our lives a living hell. Until they trust us again, and until we get to know them better, I'm not asking her how to wash my unmentionables," Kunzite said, disgusted.

"I'm kind of glad the girls can't see us now," Jadeite sighed.

"We could just go shopping?" Nephrite suggested.

"With what money? We have had our jobs for less than a week. That money needs to go toward helping us move out of Mamoru's apartment. Working as a research assistant at the tech lab won't pay squat until I'm there for 6 moths and get my raise and bonus," Zoisite mumbled.

"At least you get good benefits. Nephrite and I get next to nothing as martial arts instructors. Maybe we should just open up our own studio," Kunzite said, turning to Nephrite. Nephrite grinned at the idea.

"Well, when you start, include me, because I need something more exciting than this marketing thing I picked up. Who would have ever thought? Me?" Jadeite pondered.

"This is ridiculous! We still aren't any closer to having clean clothes," Kunzite said in frustration.

"Sort your lights and darks, first." They all jumped as they heard the sweet voice of their savior come up from behind them. Usagi stood there, smirking at them.

"I have a key," she said, simply.

"Please don't tell the girls," Jadeite begged.

"That you were talking about them, or can't do laundry?" she asked. The boys looked guilty and embarrassed. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I heard you shouting across the room when I came in. The girls are just in shock, you know, and that is how they deal with it. But they will come around. I think deep in their hearts, they want to come around sooner than later."

Usagi just looked at them and winked. Then she dove in and taught them the art of doing laundry.

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**A/n**: I love any constructive comments or reviews! I only aim to improve. 


	25. Ring of Fire

**A/N:** Thank you Usagi of Feudal Moon Era, Princess Irulan, micatite and ChieriAn9el for taking time to write your awesome reviews! The answer to the 'Usagi knowing how to do laundry' mystery is coming in a future drabble… _oh the suspense!_

**Sigh: **I was ambitious enough to think I could get 100 of these little buggers turned in on time. As it is, I am only going to be able to turn in about 35 drabbles for half credit since they are due now. I just wish I had more hours in a day... But, I will continue to update _Just Victims of Circumstance, _even if the professor will never get to see them. If you have an idea for a scene you would like to see, let me know! I have a loooong way to go...

**#39: Ring of Fire**

"JADEITE!" Nephrite practically roared. Jadeite fell to the ground in a panic. He cringed and motioned for Nephrite to be quiet.

"What are you doing with my telescope!?!?" demanded a rather annoyed Nephrite.

"Shhhhh," Jadeite said, urgently. He nodded over his shoulder toward the forms of a man and a woman, walking around the gardens. "I need to know what Rei is doing with that man," he said desperately. Nephrite crouched down and joined Jadeite on the floor of his balcony.

"So you are spying on a Princess with my telescope?" Nephrite asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes!" Jadeite hissed.

"You have got to stop playing games with that girl! Just play her game or stop annoying her and just let her know that you are available whenever she is ready…anything! But I can't take any more of this tension between you two. You two are both too hard headed and prideful," Nephrite said exasperatedly.

It was all true. For weeks now, Jadeite and Rei had been doing their own little dance around the issue really at hand. Jadeite knew that she wanted him, and it was only a matter of time. She pretended to despise him, but that was only a pretense. Who cared that the only time she was openly civil to him was during the negotiations to bring Earth into the Silver Alliance?

"She is trying to punish me," Jadeite grumbled. "She wants me to see her with another man so she can prove that I will never have a chance."

"She told you all of that?" Nephrite asked dubiously.

"Yes!" Jadeite hissed.

"Well, you always said that your dream girl would be brutally honest," Nephrite said, letting out a low whistle. "Come on, get up! Don't play into her little ring of fire," he said, pulling Jadeite up and leading him back into the room.

"Here is what you are going to do," Nephrite said. "You are going to approach her at breakfast tomorrow, and lay it all down on the table. You are going to be serious, and not your usual mischievous self. She has to know that you are sincere. After that, tell her that you are not going to bother her again until she makes a choice. Until she makes a choice, you are going to be dashing, yet polite."

"Wow," Jadeite said, looking a bit overwhelmed.

"Trust me," Nephrite said. "This advice comes straight from Makoto."

"You talk about me?" Jadeite groaned.

"No, Makoto talks about Rei and you happen to come up," he said, grinning.

"She really does have me drowning in her little ring of fire," Jadeite sighed.

* * *

_Jadeite comes out on stage with his acoustic guitar and cowboy hat on. Shoots a dashing grin at the audience and belts out: "I fell into a burning ring of fire, I went down down down and the flames went higher, and it burns burns burns…that ring of fire! That ring of fire…" compliments of the wonderful Mr. Johnny Cash. The crowd goes wild and Rei rushes to his arms…or something like that._


	26. Revelation

**# 68: Revelation **

He didn't know how it happened. He didn't mean for it to happen. Once that blinding and penetrating light overcame him, things started to happen. Things he couldn't explain and didn't want to explain.

Kunzite knelt before the three stone bodies of his former comrades. Where once Beryl promised that the Ginzuishou would bring his friends back to life, he now saw through that malicious lie. The Ginzuishou could do nothing for his fallen friends if their bodies were stone. He knew this now. He had been fighting for Beryl with the hopes of capturing the Ginzuishou for his Queen and for his friends. But had he been fighting for naught?

He couldn't take this anymore. He had to know. Kunzite stood up taking one last look at his friends and made his way to Beryl.

He found Beryl leaning over Endymion's unconscious body, caressing his cheek with her hand and stroking his arm a little too gently. The warrior in Kunzite stirred and his senses perked up. Something was going on – had been going on – that Beryl hadn't told any of the Shitennou.

"My Queen, if I may be so bold, what to you intend to do with Endymion?" he asked abruptly.

During that last battle, Serenity conjured up that Ginzuishou and used its power. Kunzite remembered Beryl demanding for Kunzite to capture the Princess and the Ginzuishou. He remembered sending a careless beam of his energy toward Serenity, but Venus and Jupiter stood in the way. Somehow, he ended up capturing the Prince and Beryl didn't seem too upset over the mix up.

That kind of compassion had never happened before. Not to mention, wouldn't Beryl be more upset that Kunzite had a chance to bring back her three best warriors, but had let that chance slip through his fingers?

He watched as Beryl seemed to measure him up. She processed something in her brain that Kunzite could not understand. He didn't have time to react as she waved her hand in front of him and a shard of kunzite stone emerged from his forehead. That was the last thing this Kunzite was able to process.

Beryl cursed under her breath, as she watched the kunzite stone emerge from her warrior's forehead. That had been close – too close! The old Kunzite had begun to reawaken from her spell and she had to take measures to prevent this. She had no choice but to brainwash him again, reminding him of his loyalty to Metallia and to be her loyal servant. The time had come to act and it would have to be done quickly. She would send Kunzite out to capture the Ginzuishou from Serenity and this would all come to an end. She couldn't afford more mishaps like the one that had just occurred.


	27. That Darn Cat

**#40: That Darn Cat**

Luna paced circles around her hostages, huddled helplessly on Mamoru's sofa.

"Now Luna, be reasonable," Nephrite's said evenly. Luna met his earnest request with a piercing glare that clearly meant they were not moving any time soon.

"If the girls are in trouble, we can combine our powers and help them out," Nephrite reasoned, trying in vain to break free from their prison. Luna continued pacing as if she hadn't heard a thing.

"I know you don't trust us yet, but please let us prove that we are sincere!" Kunzite tried. "Please grant us the faith that Mamoru and the girls have given us. One day we all hope we can earn your forgiveness, but for now, please let us go to the girls." Luna paused in her path.

"I certainly do want to believe that your intentions are genuine, but you have to understand that I am responsible for the girls," Luna said stiffly. "They may have forgiven you but I still have my reservations."

"But Luna," Jadeite protested. "We have a Prince to protect and girls to watch over. They are up against who knows what – and we have a fair idea of what that "what" could be." He realized he didn't help their cause any as Luna cringed at his weak plea.

"Exactly, Jadeite, I know all too well that you four know "what" they could be up against and until I am confident that you will never again know "what" they will fight, I will keep my eye on you," Luna responded. "Besides, I don't want you distracting the girls."

"Luna, I understand your fears because I fear it too," Zoisite broke in. "You are afraid that we will take one look at the evil that plagues the girls as they fight, and will be seduced by old memories. But that won't happen. We have proved to Mamoru that we would rather die than be a burden again. We know what we did and it will haunt us forever. We know that if we can't actively try to make up for what we did, that it will continue to haunt us. We are never going to go back to that dark place." He said with conviction.

"Zoisite is right. We have to help the girls fight and try to lessen the blows and the pain. It is only a little something, but it will make us feel better about the blows and pain that we inadvertently caused them, during that time that we weren't ourselves," Kunzite said softly, not breaking eye-contact with their feline warden.

"Mamoru trusts us and so does Usagi," Nephrite whispered. Luna sat and mulled over the heartfelt speeches.

"I am not responsible for Mamoru or for his actions," Luna said with a sniff. "The girls are all emotional young adults who have enough on their plate as it is. They don't need you distracting them in a fight. Usagi has a heart of gold, but her intentions are rarely misplaced."

Luna walked absentmindedly now. The boys resigned to their fate of sitting this fight out. They were stuck in Mamoru's apartment, waiting for word on how their newly reacquired loves were doing. Luna stopped her pacing long enough to see what Jadeite had placed in front of her. Arranged on a small dish was some fresh tuna, and Luna couldn't hide her whiskers as they perked up at the smell.

"I suppose one day you can help them fight, but not today," she said, digging into the tuna.

* * *

**A/n**: I love any constructive comments or reviews! I only aim to improve. 


	28. First Date

**A/N:** Thank you Usagi of Feudal Moon Era – you gave me a great idea and some great reviews. Thanks to Usako and Mamo-chan and Chikuuhime (yay! You're back and making these fabulous)

**A Dedication: **For everyone who has final exams this month – here is some mindless fluff for you!

* * *

**# 4: first date**

Zoisite shot a sly glance towards Ami. He grinned to himself as he noticed her perusing the isles of Barnes and Noble, completely oblivious to the world.

"Ami," he began, as he approached her. "I'm glad that you came with me today." She looked up and nodded, acknowledging the comment.

"I mean, now that we are here, the pressure is off of me," Zoisite continued.

"What pressure?" Ami asked distractedly, still absorbed in reading the summary of a book.

"Well now that we are on our first date, it will make every other date we have easier." He said innocently.

"What first date?" she asked immediately, putting the book back in its place.

"This date…us…here…" Zoisite stammered, looking anxiously at his blue-haired angel. She paused.

"We are on a date?" she questioned. "But we always go to bookstores together," she stammered, caught off guard.

"No, we go to the Tokyo library together, but today, I asked you to come with me to a mall for a real bookstore, so it's like a date," Zoisite rationalized.

"Zoisite, are you asking me out?" Ami asked slowly.

"Well, since we are already out, there isn't much to ask, but would you like to go out again sometime with me?" He asked quickly. Ami gaped at him for a moment while his question sunk in. Her mouth spread into a devious grin as she prepared to answer him. She grabbed his hand and led him to a section called: Relationships and Dating

"If you seriously think that this is a first date, then you have some reading to do," she said in a mock-lecturing tone. "You can't possibly think that you can take a girl out and not even tell her that it is a date! Honestly, Zoisite." Zoisite looked panicked.

"But I thought you would like our first date at a bookstore," he tried. Ami put a finger over his mouth.

"Yes I'll go on "another" date with you." Zoisite broke into a trademark grin.

"However, the pressure is not off. Read one of these books and do it properly. I expect you to sweep me off my feet and pick me up at 7:00."

With that, she walked out of the shop with a very un-Ami like bounce to her step.

"She loves me," Zoisite sighed as he picked up the smallest book from the shelf and toted it over to the cashier.


	29. Reality TV

**# 57: Reality TV**

"I'm a Senshi,"

_Stunned Silence_

"I wanted to tell you sooner, but I couldn't…now that we are engaged, you have a right to know…"

_Dead Silence_

"Aren't you going to say anything? I mean, you are a Shitennou, so it's not like you don't face your own share of battles."

_Extended Period of Silence_

"No, seriously…SAY SOMETHING!"

_Hopelessly Silent_

"JADEITE! QUIT STARING AND SAY SOMETHING!"

"You are Sailor Mars…you've been Sailor Mars all this time?"

"Is that all you have to say!!!"

"I've always loved your stilettos."

"_JADEITE_!"

"Wow... So ...that is why we never saw the Princesses and the Senshi at the same time. We were introduced to both of you separately... We fought you... We had all of those friendly tournaments. I attacked you. I…"

"Shhh…I attacked you too. And I enjoyed our battles."

"And Ami, Minako and Makoto…they are the other Senshi?"

"Yes they are."

"So where are the hidden cameras? Is this the new reality TV? Tell the fiancé that the future wife is a Senshi and see how the man handles it?"

Jadeite didn't want to admit it, but he was caught off guard. For once, he was truly speechless. Rei, on the other hand looked like she was about to transform into Sailor Mars right there and then and force him to say some meaningful words.

"Jade, be serious! There are no cameras; this is not a stupid trick."

"I believe you," Jadeite said earnestly.

"So, what do you think?" Rei said, backing down. "I mean, being a Senshi means more than just simple fighting. I represent Mars. I protect Serenity and the future of the Silver Millennium."

"And I am proud to be apart of that," Jadeite said. "We will be in this together. Once Endymion and Serenity are married, _we _will protect the future of the Silver Millennium."

"I'm glad that we will be in this together," Rei said.

"And I am proud of you for giving me the shock of my life."

"And you won't become overprotective when I have to go and fight?"

"Never. Now, do I get to see those stilettos up close?"

_Annoyed silence_

_Tiny smack_

_Huge grin_


	30. Trivia Games

**# 19: trivia games**

Nephrite and Makoto sat opposite of Kunzite and Minako as the two teams battled for the glory of wining one very intense game of Trivial Pursuit, Tokyo Pop Culture edition. Kunzite and Minako were huddled together, heatedly arguing in hushed tones.

On the other hand, Makoto and Nephrite calmly sat back, reveling in their clear massacre of their opponents. They had already won two games and had four pieces in their pinwheel this current game. Team Kunzite/Minako had no pieces.

"You'd think that they would be doing better, considering that there is an entire category devoted to "Sailor V and the famous Sailor Senshi," and another category called "Manga,"" Nephrite quipped. Kunzite and Minako paused long enough to glare at him.

"You'd think that Nephrite would be capable of answering _one_ question, especially since a category is devoted to "Astronomy and our Universe," Kunzite retorted. "It seems that Makoto has answered every question this game, and the last two games." Nephrite grumbled at that. What Kunzite had said was embarrassingly true.

"Well, there is no good way to strategize in this game," Nephrite said irritated.

"So basically, this is not related to Shitennou business, the martial arts, or Makoto, so you are out of your element?" Minako said smoothly.

"No, this is just a game for people who use a different side of their brain than I do," he replied, gritting his teeth.

"Makoto, please tell your boyfriend that if he used his brain at all, he would be fine," Minako teased. Nephrite threw a pillow at Minako and hit an unsuspecting Kunzite instead.

"Oi! You fought right next to me and have been one of my best mates for how long? And this is how you repay me? " Kunzite joked, tossing the pillow back.

"Naw, this is just revenge for all those times in the Silver Millennium when you and Minako had a fight and we had to run for it," He bantered back.

"Hey!" Minako said, interrupting the pillow fight before it got too far. "I drew from the Sailor V and famous Sailor Senshi category – _Name the hauntingly beautiful blonde Senshi who fights as the Goddess of Love_."

"Let me see that! Does it really say 'hauntingly beautiful'?" Makoto said, snatching the card from Minako.

"Of course it does, and the answer is: the hauntingly beautiful girl sitting right next to me," Kunzite said proudly.

"And that's the first right answer he's got all night," Minako said, rewording her adorable boyfriend with a peck on the lips.

* * *

**A/n**: So, what's on your mind? I love any constructive comments or reviews! I only aim to improve. 


	31. Minx

**A/N:** Thank you Usagi of Feudal Moon Era and Chikuuhime. You both always make me smile!

**# 18: Minx**

Kunzite sat contentedly in his room, reveling in the comfort of reading a book in his favorite chair. His fellow Shitennou and he finally purchased modest residences of their own. They couldn't live huddled in Mamoru's apartment for ever, especially now that they were free from their stones. They also needed some amount of space from each other. Looking back, they had lived with each other since they were young boys during the Silver Millennium.

Kunzite looked up from his reveries as he heard distant sounds of singing. As the voice got slightly louder, he marveled at how clear and sweet the tones were, as if perfection were manifested in this one voice.

He wondered who would have the audacity to run through the streets of Tokyo singing. To the woman's credit, she had to have spunk. The voice sounded oddly familiar as its sounds came closer. It called to him, made him want to jump up and run to it, and seemed to beckon for him to seek it out. Instead, he settled further down into his chair and opened the newspaper. He had no plans for tonight and had every intention of being lazy after his long day of working as a martial arts instructor.

The voice was alarmingly close now and seemed to fill his senses with memories of his past. Images of him and Minako dancing, him and Minako running through the halls of a palace, and him and Minako drinking wine in the moonlight penetrated his mind. He smiled at the memories.

He looked up as the voice approached his balcony window. _ Balcony window? What the…_

He sat entranced and stunned as a heavenly head of gold appeared followed by the embodiment of his angel. Minako stared piercingly through the window before lithely sliding open the door, singing all the while. Her perfect mouth caressed each word as she inched seductively toward him. He could only crack a half smile, still spellbound by her very much welcomed surprise.

Of course he should recognize that voice; he still couldn't believe that he hadn't heard Minako sing in this lifetime. She used to sing for him all the time.

She finished her song and stopped just inches from Kunzite's face. _She always knows just how to leave me speechless, _he thought.

"Let's go do something wild," she breathed. With that she grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. She was giggling gleefully and he was still trying to recover.

"Minx," he muttered under his breath, inwardly smiling as he knew he loved every minute of it.


	32. The Buck Stops Here

**#16: The Buck Stops Here**

Nephrite stood in shock at what the kids had just done. His very own Peridot stood guilty as charged, next to one of Kunzite's triplets, Ametrine, and one of Zoisite's twins, Zhea. Broken shards of glass lay around a broken security monitor and the shattered case that held Neo-King Endymion's ceremonial sword. Nephrite had to take a deep breath so his temper wouldn't explode. The kids had more freedom than most, and in the times that they abused it, they held nothing back.

"What…happened?" He asked pointedly. The girls did not blink as they allowed their unspoken leader to speak.

"We're sorry Uncle Nephrite! Honest!" Ametrine said, demurely, using her wide sapphire eyes to her advantage. Nephrite was not about to fall for their act.

"You are three of the future Senshi and protectors of the future. You are 13 years old! Peridot, you are 14 and the leader of the Senshi. I don't want your tricks or excuses, I want the truth and I want it now," Nephrite replied sternly.

They each held their tongues, mildly impressing Nephrite with their unity and flawless communication in the matter. _They will make a great team, one day, _he couldn't help but to think.

Then they all began talking at once:

"Papa, I know how this must look, but it was an accident, honestly!" Peridot said, anxiously twirling her auburn hair.

"Please don't tell Daddy," Zhea said, pale.

"Nothing irreplaceable got broken and we will clean it all up!" Ametrine promised.

"I said the truth, not excuses," Nephrite repeated, firmly

"We were practicing, like you said to!" Peridot exclaimed.

"My Love Me Chain went out of control, it was a mistake! That was the first time that has happened in years!" Ametrine cried.

"I tried to stop it but I couldn't get an ice shield up fast enough, so it could stand in the way," Zhea said quietly.

"Why were you practicing in this hallway when you know this is off limits to you?" Nephrite asked.

"Well, we lost track of where we were," Peridot offered lamely.

"You are all grounded – wait here" Nephrite said in a measured tone, as he shut the door and walked outside with the intent of clearing his mind to prevent himself from exploding in front of the girls. Instead, he ran smack into Jadeite.

"Woah! What's got your panties in a twist?" Jadeite asked innocently.

"Now is not the time," Nephrite practically snarled. He told Jadeite what the girls had done. Jadeite let out a low whistle.

"Wow, so now you have to ground them," Jadeite said, matter-of-factly.

"I know, but this is not my department, this is Makoto's," Nephrite groaned.

"You have to do it! And where are Amalthea and little Chibi Usa? If the future Senshi are wondering around, they have to be close by," Jadeite said.

"Focus! One group of girls at a time," Nephrite yelled. He turned as Zoisite entered the scene.

"What girls?" Zoisite asked.

"Our girls," Nephrite said and repeated the situation. Zoisite frowned.

"We have to ground them," Zoisite said.

"How?" asked Nephrite. "They've never done anything like this before, and the usual punishments just don't seem appropriate."

"Don't look at me! Amalthea and Griffin are far away from this!" Jadeite exclaimed. Nephrite and Zoisite rolled their eyes and focused back on the task at hand.

"I got it," Zoisite said, as Kunzite joined the group. Before he could say anything, Nephrite explained the situation again and Zoisite motioned for the stunned Kunzite to join them as they walked back into the room where they found 3 very nervous girls.

"Daddy…" Zhea started guiltily as her cerulean eyes looked down at her feet and her midnight blue hair framed her face. Ametrine paled and bowed her golden head as she watched her father walk in. The other three Shitennou surveyed the mess.

"No Senshi practice for a month. During this time, you will be Neo-King Endymion's personal assistants and will do whatever he asks without complaint," Zoisite said sternly.

"But Daddy, no practice? We need to learn…" Zhea began.

"Uncle Zoisite, the Princess needs us!" Peridot protested.

"But…but…but…" Ametrine sputtered.

"You three will survive a month with no training; you already far exceed our expectations of you," Jadeite jumped in. "This will give you three time to reflect on what it means to be a Senshi and the kind of responsibility it entails."

"Your sisters will continue to train and your brothers will continue to train to be Shitennou, but you three will not," Zoisite confirmed. The three girls hung their heads. They knew the buck stopped there.

"As an added bonus, during this month, you will not be able to leave your respective wings of the Palace, without permission from one of us, one of your mothers, or the Neo King and Queen personally," Kunzite said harshly. "It is time you learned that the Palace is not your playground."

The girls were wrong. They knew the buck stopped here, with Uncle Kunzite's last words.


	33. Crimson and Clover

**#20: Crimson and Clover**

The Moon suited Zoisite just fine. He had already perused his options on Earth, and the Moon only opened up a whole new world of opportunities. His reputation more than preceded him and apparently had extended as far as the Moon – and farther. He had beautiful women throwing themselves at him and life couldn't be better.

He glanced over at Jadeite, who stood to his right, and nodded. Jadeite returned the nod with a broad smile. Jadeite was finding the same luck with the ladies as he was. The Shitennou stood in a row, enduring the long receiving line as the Moon's nobility greeted them.

Zoisite smirked as he recalled walking around the Palace earlier that morning, watching random girls giggle as he turned the corner. He boldly sent winks their way and they pretended to be coy. He knew better. These girls were only playing "the game" in hopes of winning his attention.

The receiving line had finally ended and the men were free to stroll around the garden gathering being held in their honor. The Moon people wanted to get to know these strange Terrans better, as they were about to embark on a series of talks together in hopes of reaching an alliance.

Zoisite began walking around the gardens and caught sight of two of the inner-planetary Princesses. The tall one with the brown ponytail – Jupiter – he reminded himself bent down and whispered to the petite beauty with sparkling midnight blue hair. _Mercury _he breathed under his breath.

Mercury did not break his eye-contact as he stared unabashedly at her. There was something different about her, something that he liked.

"Good afternoon Princesses," he said, walking up to them and bowing respectfully.

"Good afternoon, Lord Zoisite, is it?" the one from Jupiter replied in what had to be her professional tone.

"You are correct, Princess of Jupiter," he replied in his own regal tone. "And good afternoon to you, Princess of Mercury," he said, taking her hand and kissing it as he bowed.

Her crimson blush contrasted perfectly with the clover hue of his eyes. Still, she did not pull her hand away as quickly as he would have expected.

Her crimson blush was not because of his attention or because of his reputation. The blush held something else and he liked this. It was always a thrill to make a girl flush, but for once, this blush seemed genuine and natural – apart of her personality. It wasn't a cheap display in hopes of wining a trophy for the night.

"Princess, if I may, might I escort you for some refreshments," he asked cordially to Mercury. He actually felt a small flutter in his heart as she paused and looked nervously over at Jupiter. They had a heated whispered discussion before Mercury was gently shoved his way. He sent Jupiter a questioning glance as he offered Mercury his arm. They walked in silence before Mercury was the first to speak.

"I know of your reputation, Lord Zoisite, but what I do not know is what you expect of me," Mercury said quietly as they made their way toward the refreshment table. Her bluntness was refreshing.

"I do not expect anything of you but the hopes of a possible friendship," he replied. "I have heard of your reputation as well, Princess. I have heard of your brilliance and I would be glad to have an intelligent conversation with a true intellectual. My fellow Shitennou do not offer me much in that way."

"You can call me Ami if it is friendship that you wish," she said.

"Then Ami, you must call me Zoisite," he responded.

They continued to walk in silence. As they walked, he couldn't help but to let his eyes wonder. Once they reached the refreshment table, he noticed Mercury – no Princess Ami – catch someone's eye. The Princess of Venus? She seemed to be carrying on a silent conversation with her before turning toward him and flushing crimson again. She looked boldly into his clover colored eyes and spoke.

"Thank you for the escort, but if you would please excuse me, I must attend to other matters," she said.

"When can I see you again, Ami?" he asked, gently laying a hand on her arm.

"Lord Zoisite, if you wish to be in my company, you must be able to refrain from staring down other women," she replied. _So she had noticed his wondering eyes_, he thought.

"Princess, I assure you, I come here for negotiations and to make new friends," he tried. He really needed to be better acquainted with this beautiful nymph.

"Remember, I know of your reputation, Lord Zoisite, and I suspect you want more than friendship. You will have to earn my trust," she said.

Then she stepped on her tiptoes to get closer to his ear and whispered, "The bulge in your pants gives you away," she said as she left him standing there, blushing his own furious shade of crimson.

She had beaten him at his own game and called him out. She was not as shy as the stories had told, or maybe that was just to him. He had heard that she would be a tough one to break through, and her sharp, icy wit did not disappoint.

Yet, from the first moment he laid eyes on her, he knew that he would have to break through that barrier. Right there and then, he vowed to change his ways – her crimson cheeks and his clover eyes would soon be forever one.

* * *

**a/n: I like a modestly bold Ami. Thanks for reading and reviews/ constructive comments are always welcomed and enjoyed!**


	34. Fools Rush In

**A/N:** Thank you Usagi of Feudal Moon Era and Gaku-chan2690 for your great reviews. It is always nice to have some feedback! Thank you, Chikuuhime, my beta. Couldn't do it without you!

**#25: Fools Rush In**

"Gentlemen, your orders are simple: Find the inner-planetary princesses and destroy them. Wreak whatever havoc you will until you find them. You will stop at nothing."

Beryl's confident voice echoed around the room where Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite and Zoisite stood. Behind the four grey uniformed men stood hoards of waiting soldiers, anxious to get a piece of the action.

"To the rest of you," Beryl continued, directing her attention to the soldiers, "You will be divided into five main groups. Each group will be assigned to one of my commanding generals while the 5th group will find the Ginzuishou Cut down who you must and destroy everything in your path."

"My loyal followers, this is our finest hour. Rest tonight, fight tomorrow and celebrate tomorrow night. That is all."

The soldiers filed out of the main room and back to their quarters. Beryl had worked tirelessly to recruit the finest army possible. Her loyal generals retreated to a smaller room to strategize the upcoming battle.

"Remember, spy reports tell us that the Princesses are the Senshi, so they will not go down without a fight," Kunzite began the briefing.

"We have all felt an unexplainable connection with a different one of them, but we will use that connection to hunt them down and destroy them as our Queen Beryl demands," Kunzite finished.

Jadeite picked up the meeting from there. "Based on our information we have the opportunity to be cunning. I will attack from the east side of the palace, where Mars keeps the sacred fire. We can use an illusion to block our images from her fire's sight. Kunzite will attack from the south side where Venus is known to frequent the gardens. The foliage will prevent her from striking back at Kunzite directly, as she is prone to do when fighting. Nephrite will come from the west side where Jupiter's kitchens are. That will strike at the heart of all she holds dear and weaken her resolve. Zoisite will strike from the north, where Mercury's control center is. Knowing her, she will stay on her computer until the last possible minute, from whence it will be too late for her to escape."

The men nodded in agreement for the plan.

"We must keep them separated and concentrated on fighting their individual battles. That will leave the Princess vulnerable for Beryl to attack. They are also stronger when they are together," Zoisite added.

"Something about my unexplainable connection with Jupiter tells me that when we confront them, that the Princess will be the last thing on their minds," Nephrite said gruffly.

"Good, we want us to be the center of their attention," Kunzite responded.

"And what if the Prince should fight?" Jadeite asked.

"We capture him. Our Queen wants him alive if at all possible," Kunzite said.

"Something tells me we are not ready, that we need more time to prepare for such an undertaking," Zoisite said, staring down each of the other three.

"Don't doubt the Queen. If she commands it, then we will be ready," Kunzite replied.

"I hope so," Zoisite said under his breath. "But I still feel like we will be losing something."


	35. Dusk

**A/N: This one goes out to Usagi of Feudal Moon Era, the inspiration behind this idea!!!**

**# 61: Dusk**

The Crystal Tokyo palace stood like a dazzling dream, as Makoto and Nephrite stood on its winding crystalline front steps, with the sun disappearing behind it. After being frozen, reawaken, and leading this new millennium of peace and purity, Nephrite had finally knelt to one knee and did what he meant to do since the Silver Millennium: he proposed.

Nephrite thought back to that moment, the happiest moment in existence, where after Makoto said yes, unmentionable events that no decent man should be repeating in his mind, happened. And after a whirlwind of flowers, planning, tailors, and Champaign, the two stood together, ready to give their vows.

"Makoto, our love has transcended a longer period of time than most lovers can only imagine they could endure. We overcame every obstacle and came out stronger for it. You are my love, my light, and my lightning. We waited for a perfect world to unite our perfect love, and our time has finally come. I will be your faithful servant for the rest of eternity."

He breathed out, glad that it all came out all right. The golden ring slid gracefully onto her finger. He would never tell her that he couldn't string together those thoughts for the life of him and had to employ the help of Minako. He smiled over her shoulder at a teary eyed Neo-Queen Serenity, who stood elegantly behind Mako as the officiator of the ceremony. Ami, Rei and Minako were the very pictures of heaven, completing her half of the bridal party. His skin tingled as Makoto took his hand.

"Nephrite, the stars brought you to me and the heavens arranged to keep us together. I have known every side of you, and it is this side in this time that I am honored to marry. We all dreamed of this time and place and everything it would bring, but most of all, I dreamed of you. You complete me."

They looked into each other's eyes as she gently slid his golden ring on his finger. He caught Neo-King Endymion grinning, as he stood next to his Serenity. Kunzite, Jadeite and Zoisite stood behind him, most likely using their internal mind-link to make fun of him. He didn't care if they were.

"We, with the power vested in us, pronounce you man and wife, you may now kiss the bride," The Neo King and Queen pronounced.

He vaguely heard Serenity burst into tears of joy as they kissed. For millennium now they had shared many kisses, but none as deep as this.

They had chose dusk because it was a time between the warmth of sunlight and the embrace of the stars. The coloring of the sky reminded Mako of the atmosphere on her home planet.

They finished their kiss and turned to walk up the stairs and into the Palace for their reception.

This had been worth the wait.


	36. Just One of Those Days

**#53: Just One of Those Days…**

"Oh, $&!!! Hell no, #$$, mother $#&$!#!!!!!"

"Zoisite…are you ok in there?" Mamoru called from the bedroom.

"I'm an effing cartoon character!!! And my hair is a nasty shade of orange…and they made me a #$# GIRL!" Zoisite wailed.

"Let me see this!" Jadeite exclaimed gleefully as we raced past Mamoru and into the living room.

"I guess Zoisite discovered _Sailor Moon, _a popular anime show on TV. The show isn't…quite 100 accurate…" Mamoru explained to the remaining two Shitennou, who were chatting with him as he unpacked his bag from his weekend vacation with Usagi.

"BWAHAHAHA!!!!!" Jadeite roared from the living room. Kunzite, Nephrite and Mamoru rolled their eyes and walked over to them.

"Oh, I remember this episode. It's the one where Venus Makes the Scene, and joins the Senshi for the first time," Mamoru commented casually, as he leaned against the edge of the sofa.

"Not only is his character a girl, but he voluntarily dresses up as a girl!!! And not just any girl – Sailor Moon!!!" Jadeite hooted.

"My life is over," Zoisite moaned, his face buried in his hands.

"I wonder what Ami thinks of your character in this show," Nephrite teased.

"Holy crap!!!" Kunzite yelled.

"What, it's not that startling of a thought," Nephrite said.

"No…my hair is like a bleached beast's mane…and why am I looking at cartoon Zoisite like _that…_and who the heck came up with Malachite" Kunzite grumbled.

"Check that out – Mamoru gets his own theme music!" Nephrite interrupted, amused. "Dum Dum Dum, click click click," Nephrite hummed. Mamoru rolled his eyes again.

"Well boys, like I said, they based stuff on _that_ darktime, but its not all true. How much do you remember about _that_ time?" Mamoru said, cautiously.

"Everything" they all chorused, melodramatically.

"Then you heard about the, uh speculation that Kunzite and Zoisite were, well, together?" Mamoru said carefully.

"WHAT?!?!"

"HELL NO!!!"

"I always wondered…"

"HAHAHAHA HEHEHE HAHAHAH," Kunzite, Zoisite, Nephrite and Jadeite exclaimed, respectively.

"Yeah, like I said, speculation, but they didn't want to put two gay men in this show targeted for young girls. So, they had to change some things. And since Kunzite shows too much chest, they made Zoi the girl…" Mamoru said, trailing off.

"They made him the girl because he IS the girl!!!" Jadeite hollered.

"And Kunzite is one sexy beast with that corner of his chest sticking out," Nephrite said, sarcastically.

Ten minutes later, after Nephrite and Kunzite pulled Zoisite off of Jadeite, Usagi came prancing into the apartment.

"Oh, you are watching _Sailor Moon!_ I want to watch!" she exclaimed, plopping down on the couch.

"Oh! This episode! Zoisite, I think you did really good, acting as me!" she said sweetly. If Zoisite hadn't been trying to hook up with one of her best friends, and if she wasn't dating the Prince he had sworn to protect…well lets just say it wouldn't have been pretty.

"The girls just love making fun of how their characters are portrayed in this! HAHAHA. It's like they take the worst parts of our personalities and exaggerate them 600 percent. What do you boys think of it?" Usagi asked innocently.

She was met by glares from Kunzite and Zoisite and smirks from Nephrite and Jadeite.

* * *

**a/n: Chikuuhime and I had a discussion over this drabble, about how to define which version of the characters are having the above conversation. I decided, in the spirit of creativity, to leave it up to your imagination. Enjoy!**

**thanks for reading and reviews/ constructive comments are always welcomed and enjoyed!**


	37. Grumpy

**A/N:** Thank you Usagi of Feudal Moon Era, Chikuuhime , bug0112, and Counterfeating Shakespere for your great reviews. I love knowing when you are laughing or crying! Thank you, Chikuuhime, my beta. Couldn't do it without you!

And here is to all of you who wondered how in the would Usagi managed to learn laundry.

* * *

**#13: Grumpy **

Nephrite existed in his stone in Mamoru's bookcase, right next to a textbook on gross anatomy. Kunzite's stone sat right next to his. Nephrite moodily stretched in his wispy state and looked out into the living room, bored. He wished one of the others were active right now. He never thought he would be so terribly desperate for company. He never thought he would be trapped in this miserable stone.

His ears perked up in interest as he heard Endymion – no Mamoru, he reminded himself – enter the room with Serenity. He figured that her name wasn't Serenity in this life, especially if Endy's name had changed to Mamoru. Time would tell what her name had become.

"Usako, you have to learn someday!" Mamoru said exasperatedly. He sat down and leaned into the plush sofa. Nephrite grumbled as he made himself scarce. Mamoru's rules specifically said that they couldn't be seen or heard by anyone but him, until they had this all straightened out.

"But Mamo-chan!" she pleaded soulfully. _The girl really knows how to work it, Nephrite thought. _

"It is one of the easiest things to do in the world, especially compared to what you do almost everyday. At least with this, I won't have to worry about you," he replied steadily.

"Exactly, I have more important things to do, like save the world!" she said dramatically.

"Usagi, its just laundry," he said patiently. _So was it Usako or Usagi? Nephrite wondered._

"But this is the whole wide world!" she countered. "And they should come before dirty undies…"

"I think it is sexy when a woman knows how to do laundry," Mamoru said.

Nephrite noticed Endymion change his tactics.

"You do?" she asked, surprised.

"I do, and nothing would be more sexy to me than my Usako learning how to do laundry."

She giggled and pulled Mamoru to his feet.

"Then lets get learning," she said suggestively. The two lovebirds disappeared into the hallway and Nephrite heard giggling, grunting and suspicious noises. So this is what they did in private? He had to chuckle at that.

With them gone, Nephrite sighed frustratingly and stretched to his full smoky appearance. Wiggling a little, he bumped his stone into Kunzite's. He smirked as an irritated Kunzite appeared.

"Yes?" Kunzite asked.

"I think I just figured out how to get Mamoru to trust us so we can get out of these stones," Nephrite said.

"Tell him the truth?" Kunzite, the man of many words, replied.

"No, he has to remember what we did for him on his own; he has to genuinely remember in order for him to trust our intentions here," Nephrite said testily.

"I know. Then what is your plan?"

"We offer to do his laundry."

"I would expect that retort from Jadeite or Zoisite."

"It's a good story behind it," Nephrite said moodily.

"Then tell it."

"I'm not one for gossip."

"For the sake of us all, go back inside your stone. I hate it when you are in a foul mood," Kunzite said.

"I'm just looking for some conversation," Nephrite grumbled.

"And you chose me?" Kunzite asked, raising a wispy eyebrow.

"I'm just saying, Mamoru thinks it is sexy when people do his laundry," Nephrite said.

"We are not, nor ever should be, sexy for him."

"My point is, we offer to do his menial work and he would want to free us," Nephrite said, as if lecturing a child.

"You need to leave the strategy to Zoisite or Jadeite," Kunzite said curtly.

"Fine, I'm going back to my charming stone," Nephrite mumbled.

Kunzite snickered and wiggled to bump Zoisite's stone beside him. They had some brainstorming to do and Nephrite obviously wasn't in the mood.

* * *

**A/n**: See? This whole time all she needed was a little persuasion from the right man. 


	38. Paranoia

**A/N**: Here is to Chikuuhime, who had a great idea to do a follow up to _Kids Say the Darndest Things. _

**#33: Paranoia **

Jadeite sat miserably in the apartment style home that he and his family shared in the Mars wing of the Crystal Tokyo palace. In the next room over, he could hear the undeniable sound of giggles and squeals coming from his only daughter. Those little shrieks painfully reminded him that his little girl was alone in the living room with a boy. No – not a little girl anymore, he reminded himself. Amalthea was now 16, and the spitting image of her very attractive and very alluring mother. All Amalthea had to do was toss her raven hair and give her charming smile before boys were positively falling at her feet. It was enough to drive him mad!

All he could do was sit grumpily aside as Rei reminded him that at 16, Jadeite was pursuing her. If that was supposed to be comforting, it wasn't. Jadeite remembered what his 16 year old self wanted to do – and did – with Rei, and other girls before he finally caught Rei.

It didn't help that his little diva loved the attention almost as much as she loved boys in general. His daughter never left the Mars wing without brushing her hair, smoothing down her dress, and checking a mirror. There were times when one didn't wonder if Minako had raised her instead of Rei and himself.

He heaved a sigh of fatherly relief as he heard the giggles cease and the front door shut. That boy must have left. A knock on his bedroom door interrupted his thoughts. Amalthea stood in the doorway, flushed and looking as if she had something on her mind.

"Dad," she began hesitantly, "I just wanted to talk to you about where babies come from."

"Amalthea, I think this talk should be with your mother, or with your Aunt Ami, but probably not with your Aunt Makoto and definitely not with your Aunt Minako," Jadeite said, stalling. He couldn't encourage his little girl to start thinking about _that._

"Dad," she said patiently, "I know where babies come from, I've known for a while now." Imagine the feeling of someone punching you in the stomach and the sensation of sinking all wrapped into one, because this is how Jadeite felt as Amalthea casually announced this.

"You know Dad, Uncle Nephrite's favorite story to tell me is about the time when I was 3 and I tried to lecture him and Aunt Makoto about kissing and where babies come from," Amalthea said. "He didn't tell me where babies came from, but I wanted to let you know that I am aware of the facts."

"You remember that?" Jadeite asked in wonderment. "You really have grown up, since then," he said. "Well young lady, this is not 30 years later, and I specifically told you that we would talk about this until 30 years later. You are only half way there," he said weakly, trying to conjure up his usual humor.

"I know this isn't 30 years later, but did you really expect this never to happen?" she said, with hints of Rei's temper surfacing. "I came in here to let you know that I do know where babies come from and that… I am not ready to do any of that yet. I smack boys who even try anything."

Jadeite could not be more proud, or shocked, at this latest development. If she meant something, then she meant it, and woe betide the boys who tried anything with her. He knew that his little girl could stay his little girl for just a little while longer.

"I know that sex isn't a game, and when I am ready, I want to talk to mom about it first to make sure that I will be safe," she said. _Could this be his little angel talking? _He never knew he had raised such a mature daughter.

"I want you to know that you are safe from being a grandpa," she joked with a twinkle in her eye. _His twinkle_, he always thought. "And, you don't have to spy on me through walls, anymore." He tried to protest this one, but couldn't deny it wasn't true.

"I love you dad," she said as she bounced up and gave him a small peck on the cheek, and then walked out of the room.


	39. Lipstick

**#37: Lipstick**

"Soooo, whatcha been up to, oh Prince?" Jadeite sang out.

"What, did Princess Rei finally start speaking to you?" Prince Endymion questioned. Jadeite had been in a foul mood for quite some time and this sudden change made Endymion cautiously curious, to say the least.

"You have lipstick on your collar!" Jadeite hooted.

Endymion twisted his neck to assess this situation. Indeed, the glossy imprint of lips was prominently outlined in a shade of delicate pink lipstick.

"Naughty, naughty! So…who's the lucky lady who got to taste your shirt?" Zoisite chimed in. He loved a good game of 'bait the Prince'.

"That is none of your concern," Endymion replied airily.

"Oh, but it is our concern if it involves our Prince, his happiness, and most importantly – him disappearing for a lengthy period of time without his concerned Shitennou in the know," Zoisite said, arching an eyebrow.

"If my 'concerned' Shitennou must know, I was helping build relationships between Earth and the Moon," Endymion replied, shooting a quick glance toward the Moon.

"I knew it!" cried Jadeite. "You and Princess Serenity. Ohhhhhh, Kunzite is going to drop a brick! Wait, he'll make us run sooooo much when he finds out about this one."

"Yes, please save us from Kunzite," Zoisite said dryly.

"I mean it! We let Endy out of our sight for a second, and he goes and _sneaks_ away to the Moon, does the dirty with the Moon Princess AND brings back the proof on his best shirt," Jadeite hollered, practically rolling around the floor in fits of laughter.

"If my concerned Shitennou were so concerned with me, then they wouldn't have been so preoccupied with other random Princesses. Then they might have seen some signs of this…" Endymion suggested to his two most intelligent Shitennou.

"That won't stop Kunzite…you snuck away right under our noses. Bravo!" Zoisite replied.

"YOU and the MOON Princess!" Jadeite responded, still rolling around.

"Then it might interest my concerned Shitennou to know that the Princess Serenity and I have been unofficially and secretly meeting for a month and a half now," Endymion said above the laughter.

"My Liege!?!?!" sputtered a pale Kunzite, as he happened to walk in and overhear that key bit of information.

"Now is that time to save us from Kunzite," muttered Zoisite.

* * *

**A/n: I have a piece I would like to put up next where I need to have text crossed out. Can anyone help me get that in HTML format? **

**Thanks for reading and reviews/ constructive comments are always welcomed and enjoyed!**


	40. Pottery Barn

**A/N:** Thank you Usagi of Feudal Moon Era and raye85 for your reviews! Thank you, Chikuuhime, my beta. Couldn't do it without you!

* * *

**#49: Pottery Barn**

"So they want cows and hay for their wedding presents?!?!" Jadeite exclaimed in disbelief.

"No dim brain, they want classy and vogue items for their house," Rei corrected her boyfriend.

Poor Jadeite was too caught up in his playful fight with Rei to notice that his fellow friends thought the same thing as he did. Anything was worth getting a rise out of his fiery angel.

Zoisite subtly poked Ami and leaned toward her ear. He made sure to whisper as he asked, "No, seriously, what is the Pottery Barn?" Ami chuckled and humored her own boyfriend and whispered back.

"It is a wonderful home furnishing store that has all sorts of modern and chic items, including several novelties to set around a room or kitchen," she replied. "They have good taste," she mused, to herself.

The boys needed to get Mamoru and Usagi a wedding gift for the upcoming wedding. Unfortunately, they looked at the registry and had no clue where any of these places were. William and Sonoma? Pottery Barn? Why not just put 'platter' and let the buyer decide. Where was the fun in choosing your own presents?

They heard a low whistle as Kunzite sat at the computer, looking at which items they had registered for, and where to find them.

"Victoria's Secret, now that place I have heard of," he said, nodding appreciatively at their choice in that store. Minako giggled and noted how adorable her man looked, drooling over the thought of some lacy lingerie.

"Sorry, sweetie, but I think you are now looking at Usagi's bridal shower list," she said smugly. She made a mental note of the particular piece he was looking at. Nephrite just laughed and pounded him on the back.

"Looks like you lose," he jested. "Girls, it's a good thing you are here to help these pathetic boys pick out a present," he said to the room.

"What do you mean? Like you can pick out your own gift for Mamoru," Zoisite shot back.

"I know what the Pottery Barn is and how to order stuff from their on-line store," Nephrite replied. "Makoto showed me," he said simply. It was Makoto's turn to look smug, and slightly proud.

"Traitor," Jadeite muttered.

"So Kunzite, have you picked out the gift you want to give them?" Makoto said, all business. The boys recognized that look in her eyes. She was about to take charge of this pitiable situation, and it would end with their girlfriends gloating.

They watched in defeat as Minako, Ami and Rei huddled in a traditional girl gossip circle, leaving room for Makoto to do her work.

"I want to get them this dish set from the Pottery Barn place," Kunzite finally said, making his selection from the on-line order form.

"Wait!" Makoto yelped. She reached over Kunzite's shoulder and took control of the mouse. "You were about to order the chartreuse set, and that is not their colors." Makoto helped him make the proper selection. "Ok, who is next?" she called out cheerfully.

Makoto patiently helped Jadeite navigate the Pottery Barn website and pick out a dip platter. Figuring out the website for themselves, Zoisite choose a set of pots, and Nephrite choose Tupperware.

"What?" he shrugged as Makoto gave him a look. "Every wedding has that one person who gives Tupperware, and why not me?"

Makoto just sighed and looked over at her best friends. "Girls, I think you are all going to have to give me the boys at least once a week for an hour or two so that I can start training them to be domestically independent…"


	41. Like Father, Like Son

**#2: Like Father, Like Son**

"Dad, why do we have to leave a bunch of flowers whenever we disappear?" 9-year-old Herman, Zoisite's son, asked moodily.

"Its not called disappearing, what is it called?" Zoisite asked, ignoring the flower part of the question.

"Teleportation," Herman said quickly, "But why the flowers? Zhea and Ava get blocks of ice and choking fog, and we get flowers."

"We don't get just any flowers, we get Sakura petals," Zoisite said, knowing his playfulness was aggravating his son.

"Want to trade teleportation for force fields?" 13-year-old Gareth, Kunzite's son, asked.

"Nah, then you wouldn't be able to protect yourself from me," Herman joked.

"Ah hem," Kunzite said, clearing his throat. "Today is hand to hand combat training, not individual power training, so take your place in line."

Herman and Gareth walked over to 11-year-old Metis, Nephrite's son, and 12-year-old Griffin, Jadeite's son.

"Boys, being Shitennou requires more than just the powers you inherited from us. It requires combat skills, quick thinking, leadership, loyalty, and most of all, teamwork," Kunzite began.

"_And the ability to annihilate,"_ Metis said under his breath.

"You have to be able to know each other's fighting styles so that you can anticipate each other's moves. This will help with your strategies," Jadeite said, ignoring Metis.

"_Does your dad always talk as if he were on stage?"_ Gareth whispered to Griffin. Griffin nodded.

"_When he's not, it usually means we're in trouble,"_ Griffin whispered back.

"Jadeite is right. This is how I know that if I were to throw a punch toward Jadeite's head, he would kick my arm away. I know I have to be creative to beat him up," Zoisite said. The young boys laughed.

"_That and years of teasing each other,"_ Herman said to the younger boys under his breath.

"Right," Nephrite said, rolling his eyes. "So today when you fight each other, we want you to try and figure out what each other's fighting styles are so you can begin anticipating each other."

"Let's start with Herman and Metis as the first pair and Griffin and Gareth as the second pair," Kunzite assigned the boys.

"_At least your dad jokes during practice, mine takes everything too seriously,"_ Gareth muttered to Griffin, as they stood up.

"_So will you, when you are officially leader and get to run these practices by yourself,"_ Griffin joked.

"_Naw, I have too much of my mom in me for that,"_ Gareth said.

The boys maneuvered and began their practice fights while trying to anticipate each other's moves.

"Griff, keep your shoulders up! When he does that, get your head low! Your body must be tight but flexible!" Jadeite called from the sidelines. He couldn't help it, he wanted his son to have the advantage of his expertise. Kunzite thought the same thing.

"Say focused! Wait for it! Strike! Keep up the attack! Don't relent!"

Nephrite noticed the yelling and nudged Zoisite.

"Look at those two, trying to make little monkeys of their boys and not allow them to develop their own fighting style," he said. Zoisite shrugged.

"Ok, everyone, stand down!" Nephrite yelled. The boys stopped their practice and took one knee, waiting for instructions. "As an experiment, I would like Griffin to fight Jadeite and Gareth to fight Kunzite." They had all fought their dads and each other's dads multiple times so what could Nephrite's experiment be?

Those watching could tell that Jadeite and Kunzite were going easy on their sons. Gareth and Griffin dodged each of their assaults, while throwing moves of their own that were easily expected.

"_Five bucks says Gareth can't touch Kunzite, but Griffin can get in a punch when Jadeite gets distracted,"_ Metis whispered to Herman.

"_I'll tag that,"_ Herman whispered back.

They continued to spar, neither one of the pairs able to get in a good punch. Nephrite called for them to stop and motioned for everyone to gather around him.

Metis handed Herman five bucks. _"I thought I had that, Jadeite always get distracted when it is not a serious fight." _

"So boys, what does that tell you about anticipating each other's fighting style?" he asked the group.

"That we kick butt!" Metis joked.

"We do, but that is not the answer I am looking for," Nephrite replied.

"We fight exactly like our dads!" Herman said.

"Exactly, so watch us, listen to what we say to each of you, and know what to expect. Class dismissed," Nephrite said.

"See, I told you that this lesson was inherently useless," Nephrite told the men, as their boys walked away.

"I wonder if the girls have the same problem?" Jadeite asked out loud.


	42. Hopeless and Incorrigible

**#81: Hopeless and Incorrigible**

"Did you guys get that latest SM-mail from Minako?" Endymion shouted behind his shoulder. The Shitennou and the Prince were in their research room, taking a break. Zoisite refused to let them call it a library since that title had a place of honor in the true library. Still, this room could have passed for such a room, holding the bulk of the history and current events of the Silver Millennium.

"Yeah, she wants to have a surprise birthday party for Serenity," Nephrite commented. "Details are still in the works, but we are sure having a blast monitoring that "genius" group list serve SM-mail thing we are now apart of."

"It sounds like trouble," Kunzite said. "Not only are the girls planning it, but they want it to be something with adventure, mystery and men. They don't need men at the party…they have us."

"Relax! It's us! You guys shouldn't get so tense. Those girls are head over heels for us and they would never invite any men to a surprise party," Zoisite said lazily, as he reclined in his chair.

"And you are the biggest man suck up I have ever seen," Jadeite snorted. "I read that SM-mail you wrote to Ami about how you trust her completely. Aren't you just a tinsy winsy bit concerned that Ami might be thinking of partying it up with other men – boys who are not you?"

"She completely and utterly adores me, no competition!" Zoisite said.

"Dude, have you _seen_ her? Heck, I've got one of my own that if I don't keep tabs on, any man could snatch up. Sure, she is devoted to me, but I don't want other people eyeing my baby," Jadeite replied.

"And only you could talk about Rei as if she were a piece of meat. Do you know how upset she would be if she found about this conversation?" Zoisite asked innocently.

"HA! Jed wouldn't know, would he? Rei is missing in action and the only one not responding to the SM-mails. Minako is having a freakin' cow over it," Nephrite laughed.

"She just went home to visit Mars, I'm sure she is doing her Princess duty," Jadeite mumbled.

"So you admit that you don't have tabs on her?" Zoisite asked, raising an eyebrow. Jadeite just mumbled in response.

"Gentleman, only Endy and I are secure in the fact that our girls are not joined to us at the hips. You all need to quit whining," Zoisite said, jauntily.

"Oh ho! Look who is talking about whining! The pretty boy who cries when his hair gets tangled is telling us real men that we whine?" Jadeite joked.

Kunzite only snickered as he listened to the conversation going on over his shoulder and composed his next SM-mail. He intended on calling Zoisite's bluff and was going to put that to the test. Luckily for him, Zoisite made the Generals their own list serve so they could have private correspondence, away from the prying eyes of their girls. The normally stoic man couldn't help but smolder a manly giggle as he pushed the send button to his latest genus idea:

_To: Earth Entourage_

_From: Kunzite_

_Re: A Wager_

_Zoisite, you whine in your own little way whenever you suspect Ami thinking of other men. But your confidence and arrogance in your own pretty looks makes you a cut above the rest of us (according to your own ego). _

_I'd like to put that ego to the test. Let us make a friendly wager. Us "whiners" versus the pretty boys (that's you and Endy, since apparently he doesn't whine either). If men show up at this party at the behest of the men committee, then we win and you pretty boys will arrive in all of your natural glory to the next Terran ball. (that is in the nude, in case I need to spell it out for you). If men do not show up at the party, then you win and us whiners (Jed, Neph and myself since I am writing to the exceptionally slow) (that's you Zoi) will be your personal slaves for a week in penance for doubting you. Are you man enough to play?_

_-Kunzite_

It seems that all bets are on in this risky game played by boys left to their own devises for too long.

* * *

**AN: If it looks familiar, it is based on an event from my other story, _You've Got Mail._ I just wanted to tell a part of that story from the guy's point of view. Boys left to their own devices will always make great writing material… : ) **

**Thanks for reading and reviews/ constructive comments are always welcomed and enjoyed!**


	43. Rocking Chairs

**A/N:** Sorry this took so long! Thanks for staying with me.

Thank you Usagi of Feudal Moon Era for your continual support. I'm always glad to see one of your wonderful reviews. Thank you Chikuuhime, sanchan, DeepBlueQL, zip382, Princess Ava, Gaku-chan2690 and raye85 for your reviews!

* * *

**# 5: Rocking Chairs**

"I'm old," Nephrite muttered to himself as he stood up. There was no reason for standing up to cause so much strain in his knees.

"What dear?" he heard his wife ask distractedly from the other room. They weren't supposed to get old. Not for a very long time.

"I'm old," Nephrite shouted back tersely.

"No you're not, because if you're old, than I'm old. And I'm not old," Makoto yelled back. "Dear," she had the courtesy to add.

"Peridot said I looked really fresh and young, yesterday," he said, walking into the other room. His daughter was only trying to be sweet, he was sure. "No one ever tells you that when you _are_ young."

"Come here my baby, let me hold you," Makoto coaxed with a hint of amusement in her tone. Nephrite grumbled again and allowed Makoto to soothe his turbulent soul.

"You know, if Jadeite heard you talking like this, he would say that you were sounding like Zoisite. Maybe I should go see what Ami does to calm Zoi down…" she teased. Nephrite flopped over to his back and grumbled again. Still, he wasn't about to let Makoto stop stroking his hair.

"What the…Is that…it's a grey hair!" Makoto said, fearfully, clutching her face in horror.

"A what!?!?!? Nephrite said, startled, bolting up.

"Relax, I'm only getting a reaction out of you!" Makoto giggled.

"I'll never forgive you," he mumbled, laying back down, his head in her lap.

"Yes you will," Makoto assured him. They had many good years together. Maybe Beryl took 50 years off his life. He didn't doubt it. Makoto gave him renewed life. It would be hard to never forgive her.

"You are a soldier-a general-a Shitennou, a leader! If you don't feel some aches and pains from time to time then you probably weren't a very good one," Makoto reasoned.

"I was a good one," Nephrite defended himself.

"I'm not saying you weren't, I'm just saying that a man like you needs to be in the thick of the battle, and you always were," Makoto said gently.

"Of course I was," Nephrite replied. She was already forgiven for her grey hair joke. After all, it was just harmless teasing.

"Plus, I can count your different lifetimes on multiple fingers, and you are the father of two grown children – the new Shitennou of the West and the Princess of Jupiter," Makoto continued.

"All great achievements," Nephrite agreed.

"So you aren't old, you've just _lived!"_ Makoto declared.

"I have lived," Nephrite repeated.

"I'm glad you agree, Mr. Grumpy Pants. So can I cancel that order on your new, 'old man' rocking chair?" Makoto laughed.

Nephrite grumbled. He would never forgive her…


	44. Forgetfulness

**#43: Forgetfulness **

"Endymion?" I heard the voice of one of my valued Shitennou shout. I looked over and noticed Neo-Queen Serenity had heard it too. Sighing, I decided to ignore it. I sat back against the bench and let Serenity snuggle back into my shoulder.

"Endyyyyymiooooon?" I heard it again. Does a King have no privacy? All Serenity and I wanted was a nice, quiet weekend at the private Crystal Tokyo villa, away from our nagging guardians. It was asking too much.

"I thought that was your gold cruiser, floating by the door! What are you doing here?" Jadeite's tone went from jubilant, to suspicious, as he poked his head inside the front door.

"Well, I – we," I said indicating a peaceful Serenity resting on my shoulder, "had envisioned a blissful escape from reality. Unfortunately, reality has a way of making its presence known," I answered, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

"How great! Rei and I were planning the same thing!" He said, not noticing my withering stare. "We'll just take the upstairs room on the left," he grinned, opening the front door wider to allow Rei to slip in. She offered her sovereigns a sheepish glance before tripping up the stairs behind Jadeite. I sighed and was about to resume my previous activities with my dear wife, when I heard Jadeite clamoring back down the stairs.

"Begging your Neo-Highnesses' pardon," he said exaggeratedly, "But I forgot our luggage in the cruiser. And you have _got_ to see what I slipped in there for Rei to wear!" he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"No, I don't have to see what you got!" I yelled at his retreating back. Serenity giggled.

"Why don't we retire to another part of the house? Away from the door?" she asked serenely.

"Yes, that's a good- what…who is that?!?" I asked frustrated. I remembered Jadeite going back to his cruiser, but I didn't recall him dragging a girl's voice behind him, or another Shitennou!

The front door burst open, the doorway full of Jadeite and Nephrite, both carrying overly stuffed luggage. _This isn't happening_, I muttered to myself. The two wonderful Shitennou sauntered in the room, followed by a grinning Makoto.

"My Lord! Why are you here?" Nephrite asked, not hiding his surprise. Then genuine shock registered. "I had forgotten you and Serenity were coming this weekend! I thought this was mine and Makoto's weekend."

"What? I forgot that you and Makoto even had plans to use the villa this weekend. And I thought Neo-Endy had plans for next weekend…" Jadeite trailed off.

"Never mind, we probably forgot to put it in our agenda," I said with more graciousness than I felt.

"Hey boss!" Minako sang as she pranced in the door. Kunzite was mere steps behind her, looking the part of a bellhop. "You look surprised to see us," Kunzite said, directing the question at me.

"Just not more surprised that you didn't come with Zoisite," I muttered grumpily in Kunzite's general direction.

"Huh?" Kunzite asked.

"He's just making a jab at your sketchy past," Minako said breezily.

"I think he is a bit miffed that we all forgot this was his private weekend here," Jadeite supplied.

"Hmmm," Minako took a second to pretend to think. "Well, Kunzite, let's get out of their way and go claim a room away from these suckers. We don't want them complaining every time you throw me up against the wall and tear off…"

"That will do, Minako!" I interrupted. "Yes, please take a room on the opposite side of the villa…better yet, the tree house!"

"Hey, what's taking so long…oh!" Rei said, startled as she walked down the stairs clad only in one of Jadeite's undershirts, clearly not expecting the present company any more than I was expecting it.

"I forgot that Endy had reserved the villa for this weekend," Kunzite said.

Rei tugged the shirt down as she walked over to Jadeite glaring. "You said it was free this weekend," she hissed.

"Now, now, love! Lighten up, your Sailor fuku is much shorter than my shirt," Jadeite said.

"Ooohhh" Rei huffed.

"I see someone forgot to invite us to the party," Zoisite said casually as he and Ami stepped through the door. Serenity still sat calmly on the bench in front of the door, taking this all in with measured amusement.

"Lets just do our own thing this weekend and stay out of each other's ways….except for Makoto, she can cook." I said, resigned for another great group weekend.

"Love to," Makoto said, grinning.

With that, I had to respect the group for keeping their distance and silence for the rest of the evening. I didn't have to see what Jed had brought for Rei to wear, and I was able to relax with Serenity in the hot tub. With wine. It was surprisingly peaceful…

Until the villa was treated to the sounds of wood splintering, tree branches breaking, and a surprised Kunzite falling straight though the old, rotting wood floor of the tree house.


	45. Shopping

**# 30: Shopping**

He had it, the perfect plan at the mere tip of his tongue. His Queen, Lady Beryl, would see that she made the correct decision in choosing him to lead the first great campaign in restoring the Dark Kingdom to its former state of grandeur. Jadeite smirked as he worked it out in his mind. He needed to do his homework – and he had all of the youma in the Dark Kingdom at his command.

He had already spied on a blonde warrior in the jewelry store touting mantras of love and justice. Her control of her power and quick work of his trusted youma caught his attention and certainly demanded acknowledgement. He would be up against someone worthy of inevitable defeat, and he liked it that way. This school girl would most likely give his youma some exercise and himself a minor workout before being destroyed.

Where was the glory of victory if you didn't have to put a little backbone in it?

Yes, he liked this mysterious annoyance very much. Now, he had to lure her and her friends into the Dark Kingdom. Finding a masterful plan to do this, would be his greatest happiness. These girls played the part of the hero, this much he knew. He could disguise his youma as innocent people to save, and when they arrived, the youma could take the school girls? A thought, but people walking by might try to interfere on behalf of the young heroes. But he could plant more youma there to capture those people as well? It was a thought.

Yet, he wanted something more of a trap. He could send a mass of youma to ambush the girls- no corner them and then ambush them. They met at a temple, where he could easily surround that. Before the attack, his youma could take possession of the human souls praying there. The possessed could help corner the girls. But there seemed to be too many holes in that plan.

What he really wanted to do was capture the girls in a place where they would be ambushed, and there would be no escape. Yes! He could kidnap them and bring them to the Dark Kingdom, from where they would be more than outnumbered and there would be no escape. He could just grab them- but no, they might wiggle their way out of that and take youma with them. He would have to lure them somewhere else. He could take the temple to the Dark Kingdom with the girls inside. Hmmm…but that would expend too much energy. Plus, he respected the heroic nature of the girls and wanted that to be their eventual downfall.

A car? He could trap them in a car and bring that here. It was much smaller. A bus? A bus! The bus that stops outside the temple! The very thing! He would take busloads of girls back to the Dark Kingdom to use as hostages. The Dark Kingdom could use them as bait. The heroes would want to come to the rescue and all would work according to plan. He knew these heroes were youthful girls and he would have to lure the right age group to the bus to capture one of their friends to rescue, or one of them!

Nothing would go wrong with this plan!

* * *

**thanks for reading, and reviews/ constructive comments are always welcomed and enjoyed!**


	46. Bait

**A/N:** Sorry this took so long! Thanks for staying with me. I know this is just one, but I'm hoping that if I could get just the one posted that it would help me overcome writers block and start getting into the swing of things again. Thank you to all of you who left me wonderful reviews on the last set; ya'll are awesome!

**#10: Bait **

"That's hot."

"Excuse me?" Nephrite asked, raising his eyebrow toward Jadeite.

"That's H-O-T!" Jadeite repeated slowly while rolling his eyes.

"What is HOT?" Nephrite asked, indulging Jadeite.

"Them. Down there. In the skirts," Jadeite said.

"You mean the Senshi in their training fuku?" Nephrite asked as if correcting a child.

"Not just the training fuku, but the way Jupiter's lightning antenna rod extends like that," Jadeite continued.

"What are you talking about?" asked Nephrite with a hint of annoyance.

"It's lying dormant one minute and then BOOM! It slowly slips out of its resting place and points straight up!" Jadeite said dramatically.

"You know, you don't have to talk," Nephrite replied. "In fact, I would prefer it if you didn't."

"You can't tell me that this does not turn you on!" Jadeite said, ignoring Nephrite.

"A lightning rod or the sound of your voice?" Nephrite responded.

"Dude, I do not swing the same way Kunzite and Zoisite do," Jadeite muttered.

"They definitely do not swing that way," Nephrite said. "There is no way the Princess Venus would be flirting with Kunzite so shamelessly if the Goddess of Love detected that he might not return her interest."

"So, then you are saying that Jupiter's long lighting rod diminishes your masculinity?" Jadeite said, raising an eyebrow.

"What?! My masculinity? No…" Nephrite sputtered. He paused and decided to change his tactics. "I'm saying that if the Princess of Mars heard you talking this way she would smack you so quick that your head would spin."

"At least she takes the time to smack me," Jadeite said proudly. "Indifference would mean that she didn't care at all. Her emotions and the fact she gives me attention tells me that she cares on some level."

"The Princess of Jupiter has offered to cook me dinner," Nephrite said with a smirk. "I have to say that is a huge leap above getting smacked."

"So when Jupiter's lightning rod pops out you can honestly tell me that _your_ lightning rod doesn't pop out?" Jadeite asked, not letting Nephrite deter him.

"You know, we are supposed to be observing the training techniques of the Senshi and critiquing them in the interest of strengthening the warriors in our new alliance. Why don't you start observing something other than the lightning rod?" Nephrite asked.

"You can just tell me if you want me to stop checking out the women of your dreams," Jadeite said.

"I just want you to stop talking," Nephrite said.

"Not until you admit that Jupiter's lighting rod shooting out is mad crazy sexy," Jadeite said, not bothering to take his eyes off of the practicing Senshi.

"Like hell," Nephrite muttered.

"So you don't deny it!" Jadeite smirked.

"Why do you care so much?" Nephrite asked.

"I'm just making conversation," Jadeite said.

"Well it's disturbing," Nephrite said.

"I'll tell you what is disturbing – how Jupiter allows her rod to slowly make its appearance. You stand there and wonder – is it coming, is it not? And look at that electricity gathering, sizzling…" Jadeite continued.

"Does that disturb you, really?" Nephrite asked.

"It disturbs me to think of what your reaction could possibly be," Jadeite said. "After all, the way she handles that rod is…excruciating," Jadeite said placing special emphasis on that last word.

"If you weren't my colleague and fellow Shitennou…" Nephrite said.

"Just say it and I'll stop," Jadeite quipped.

"I wouldn't give you that satisfaction," Nephrite responded.

"Sizzle. Extend. Enlarge. Long. Skinny. Excruciating." Jadeite bugged.

"It won't work," Nephrite said, punctuating each word.

"Your lightning rod and her lightning rod creating hot, steamy electricity…" Jadeite continued.

"JUPITER'S LIGHTNING ROD SHOOTING OUT IS MAD CRAZY SEXY," Nephrite shouted at Jadeite, giving in.

The sounds of battle practice stopped and then he heard it. Complete silence followed by girly giggling and Jadeite's chuckles. Jupiter winked up at the boys and tossed her hair over her shoulder as she turned to walk away. Nephrite noticed that she allowed her lighting rod to extend as she walked toward the locker room.


	47. Coy

**A/N:** Well, it looks like I am finally cured of writer's block. I hope you enjoy this set and thanks for being patient. A huge thanks to everyone who took the time to leave me a much appreciated review.

With that, I leave you with the continuation to the previous drabble: Bait

* * *

**#6: Coy**

"So is it all about the lightning rod, or did Jadeite put you up to that?"

Nephrite was slightly startled to hear that voice interrupt his thoughts. He was slightly more embarrassed that she was able to sneak up on him like that.

"Oh, Jadeite likes to push people over the edge sometimes," he said casually. These sorts of situations overwhelmed him and he didn't have Jadeite and Zoisite's ability to maneuver in these uncharted waters. He immediately knew he said the wrong thing as he noticed Jupiter's face fall. It was slight, but the reaction was there.

"Well, I know the Senshi can be a bit intimidating, but I was hoping as a Shitennou that you would understand." _Crap._ She took his statement in the exact opposite way than he intended her to take it.

"Not at all, I find your powers fascinating. What I meant was that I didn't want you to think of me as some disgusting pervert trying to imply something unseemly about your powers," he said quickly, hoping that would make up for whatever he did wrong.

He definitely had her attention back. "I think you are bold to shout like that, but I don't find you a disgusting pervert. I just hope this doesn't make things awkward between us. I kind of liked where we were going."

"And where was that?" he said before he could think about what he was saying.

"Well, I rather enjoyed practicing with you, talking with you, walking with you…"

"I enjoy all of that too. In fact, since we are hopefully talking about progress, you know with forming alliances and such, I was hoping that I might kiss you?" _Well, I don't have Jadeite or Zoisite's finesse with wooing the ladies, but hopefully that wasn't too abrupt. _

He needn't have worried; for the first time since knowing her, her eyes shifted down and he detected a hint of a blush.

"You may."

That was all he needed to hear. For someone as confident as him, this shouldn't have been so hard, but he conquered it. She said he could kiss her. And he did.

He put into that kiss all of the pent of passion he had been feeling for her. He detected the same from her.

After they broke apart he expected her eyes to shift down again, but they didn't. Instead, she held his gaze as if expecting him to make the next move. He did the only thing that came to his mind.

Lifting his hand to touch her forehead he said, "And I really do find your lighting rod sexy."


	48. Carbohydrates

**#26: Carbohydrates:**

Friday night, Neo King Endymion and Nephrite stood together in the grand Crystal Tokyo Palace kitchens, sharing a cup of coffee and catching up with each other as friends. It was nice to be more than just a King and his Shitennou.

"Sorry to interrupt! I just needed a quick fix of bread," Minako rushed in, opening the cabinet between where the Neo King and Nephrite stood.

"A quick fix of bread?" Nephrite asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Bread, a donut, bagel, you know?" she said, shrugging her shoulders. Nephrite just chalked this up to being part of Minako's randomness, but was quite surprised to find Endymion rubbing his temples. It was a curious reaction to a bread craving, and he should expect such things of Minako.

* * *

It was a Saturday night dinner and Kunzite and Minako made a fashionably late entrance. Minako immediately dove for the dinner roll basket. Nephrite noticed that Endymion was eying her warily, but this didn't seem too suspicious of an activity. After all, someone late to dinner would naturally be hungry and who didn't like a good dinner roll prepared by Makoto? 

Nephrite did notice that during the cinnamon bun dessert, she ate a heaping portion that rivaled Neo Queen Serenity's famous appetite. By this time, Endymion held his head in his hands.

* * *

Sunday afternoon, the Shitennou and Endymion were walking down the Palace hallways and happened upon Minako carrying a basket of muffins. She walked up to Kunzite and smiled sweetly. 

"I made us a snack basket for later tonight," she said gleefully.

"For us, or for you?" he asked with a hint of amusement.

"Well, it can be for us, but we both know I will probably be the one to eat most of it," she said winking and then walking away.

Nephrite looked strangely at Endymion, who was banging his fist against his forehead. The others didn't seem to notice or didn't think this was odd, and they kept walking down the hall.

* * *

The Shitennou and Senshi regularly held meetings every Monday with the Neo King and Queen to discuss the status of Crystal Tokyo. They always indulged in some light snacks, but today, Minako was eating from the fruit tray as if it were the first thing she had eaten in a week. Endymion was banging his head on the table, much to the confusion on everyone else in the room. 

Nephrite patently waited until after the meeting to speak to Endymion. He was beyond curious as to why Endymion kept acting this way every time Minako had something to eat.

"My liege, I notice that you react strangely when Minako eats. Are you ok?" Nephrite asked, once everyone else had left the room.

Endymion groaned.

"It's not just when she eats; It is when she eats carbohydrates," Endymion responded.

"So why the, uh, drama?" Nephrite asked.

"It makes me think of what your leader said to me one time when we had a few celebratory drinks, and he had one too many."

"And what was that?" Nephrite asked.

"Kunzite told me that Minako has a terrible craving for carbohydrates after they make love."

* * *

A/N: Idea inspired by an Annasmit drabble over at checkmated (dot) com. 


	49. Lazy Day

**#14: Lazy Day**

Zoisite was beyond the point of exhaustion. It felt like he had been doing battle all day and didn't even have the luxury of using any of his weapons. Kunzite had definitely not trained him for this and Endymion could have had the courtesy of giving him some due warning about these types of trials.

Ami trusted him to take care of business so that she could have one lazy day with the other girls. The problem was, he decided to take a lazy day too, and would soon be paying the price. It all started with what should have been a typical sentimental moment between a father and his daughter.

"Daddy, I made art!" squealed his rather rambunctious 8-year-old Zhea. He dreaded what he would find. He could only imagine a wall painted some ghastly shade of orange, or glue stuck all over the table, or perhaps macaroni noodles spilled all over the floor.

His daughter held up a neat painting of a blue goose. There was nothing like the feeling of sweet relief. If his daughter who was usually messy had found something to do that was organized, then he had nothing to worry about. Ava and Herman took after their mother, so he didn't expect much grief from them.

"It's very nice, honey," he said as he continued to lounge on the sofa.

"Thank you. I made it for you to hang in your office!"

"I can't wait to hang it up," he said, smiling at her.

"Did I tell you that Ava wants to be a hair stylist?" she said as she jumped on top of him. Well, this was news to him. Zhea's twin sister wanted to be something new every week.

"Auntie Minako wouldn't let Ava practice on her, so Ava has been practicing on Herman," Zhea said as if this was commonplace.

"On your baby brother?!?" Zoisite sat up, alarmed.

"Don't worry, he didn't end up bald," she said. Hair was such a precious thing!

"Where are you sister and brother now?" he asked, standing up.

"Oh, last I saw they were in Herman's room." Great, now he would have to clean up hair and explain to Ami why their son had a hair cut.

"But at least when Ava started cutting his hair, he stopped playing Shitennou on your bed," Zhea continued.

"Shitennou on my bed?" Whatever that was, it did not sound good.

Zhea shrugged. "It's just some game him and the other boys made up. They take tree branches and use them as swords. Sometimes they like to jump on beds when they play so they can feel like they're flying."

"So he went outside to get a tree branch?" Zoisite asked warily.

"That's where tree branches come from. I'll bet he found a real nice one full of green leaves, since it rained this morning," Zhea commented.

Zoisite nearly swooned at the thought. That meant there had to be mud, water, leaves, and tree bark all over their pristine bed. It was probably going to be a most comfortable night of sleeping on the couch.

"If Ava had decided to be a hair stylist sooner, maybe she could have stopped him, but she didn't decide to be a hair cutter until after lunch. Before lunch she wanted to be a doctor, so she was busy in mommy's laboratory." Oh, he felt a definite migraine coming on.

"You girls know that you never go into mommy's lab!" Zoisite said sternly.

"Don't be mad at me, daddy! Yesterday Ava wanted to be a journalist. It wasn't me who went into the lab."

He didn't know what Ava wanting to be a journalist had to do with anything, but he did know that he had a whole lot of messes to clean up, and quickly!

Oh, Ami would freeze him to oblivion when she found out that he spent a lazy day on the sofa rather than entertaining their children.

"Mommy!" he heard Zhea shriek. "Look at the art I made for Daddy. _And_ you'll never believe what Ava wants to be today!"

Oh heaven help him!


End file.
